Anastasia
by SparrowJackCaptain
Summary: Numbuh 3 as Anastasia. Numbuh 4 as Dimitri. Nuff said. 3/4 with some 2/5
1. Chapter 1

**Yay! My first story! I was browsing around and saw a picture on *OrionStorm's gallery on DeviantArt and fell in love with it. Plus I LOVE the movie Anastasia (though historically incorrect as it is but still…). So this is what I thought of!**

**The characters (in the same order as the credits in the movie):**

**Numbuh 3, Kuki- Anastasia**

**Numbuh 4, Wally- Dimitri**

**Numbuh 2, Hoagie- Vladimir**

**Mr. Boss- Rasputin**

**The Tolienator- Bartok**

**Numbuh 5, Abby- Sophie**

**Numbuh 1, Nigel- The Dowager Empress Marie **

**with, Bradley the Skunk- Puka**

**Well, here goes. Whether it's a good story or not, I'll let you be the judge of that!**

**Disclaimer- I do not own the movie Anastasia nor sadly Codename: Kids Next Door and the song "Anytime You Need a Friend" by the Beu Sisters**

Numbuh One's POV:

There was a time, not very long ago, when we lived in an enchanted world of super cool treehouse's, and awesome missions.

The year was 2003. And my team, Sector V, and I were high ranking operatives of the organization The Kids Next Door.

After one of our successful missions, my team and I were headed up to the Moonbase for a great surprise party.

We were celebrating the tenth birthday of our sweet Numbuh Three, our youngest teammate.

She was a cheerful, happy-go-lucky girl, and also a little ditsy and a bit of an airhead. But we all loved her nonetheless. *chuckle* Especially a certain one of us!

_Numbuh Three wrapping Numbuh Four in a big hug. His face looks irritated but the blush in his cheeks is unmistakable. _(A/N, I'm showing Numbuh One's memories in the italics.)

Inside the S.C.A.M.P.E.R on our way up to the Moonbase from that last mission, however, Numbuh Three, unaware that we were taking her to her surprise party, was sniffly and teary eyed. I knew what that was about. The Delightful Children From Down The Lane had told her that she was so ditsy and pathetic that they wondered why we kept her, which made her burst into tears. Numbuh Four beat the Delightful Dorks to a pulp while the rest of us told Numbuh Three not to listen to them. She only nodded and continued to cry.

Numbuh Five nudged me and motioned toward our birthday gift to her. Now seemed like the perfect time to give it to her.

"Hey Numbuh Three, I hope you don't believe what the Delightful Dorks said was true," Numbuh Five said.

"Yeah," I added. "You're a valuable member of the team and a great friend, got it?"

Numbuh Three turned around and gave us a teary smile.

"And…I'm sure your_ birthday present_ will agree as well!" Numbuh Five exclaimed presenting a box wrapped in sparkly green paper.

Numbuh Three gasped then cheered. "Yay! Birthday! You guys remembered!"

"Well of course we did," Numbuh Two said. "Now open your present why don't ya."

Numbuh Four, who had been silently fuming the whole time over what the Delightfuls had said, also turned around and smiled.

"Happy Birthday Numbuh Three." He said.

Grinning, Numbuh Three ripped the package open and squealed at what she saw.

"Wow, a Best-Friends-Forever-And-Always Rainbow Monkey!"

"Yep, only this is no ordinary Rainbow Monkey," I told her. "We put in a music box that can be activated with this necklace."

I put the necklace into the stuffed animal's belly button and the music started.

_When you're down_

_And your luck runs out_

_Or if you're in trouble or in doubt_

_Its okay_

_Turn my way_

_Anytime you need a friend_

"Oh, I love this song." Numbuh Three said growing teary eyed again.

"If you ever feel sad or alone again, just play this song to lift your spirit," I told her.

"Plus you can always come to any of us," Numbuh Five added. "That's what the song is supposed to remind you girl."

_When you're scared_

_I will stay with you_

_When you feel you're fallin'_

_I'll lift you_

_When your heart breaks_

_I'll ease your aches_

_Whatever it takes_

_I'm in_

_Anytime you need a friend_

"I know to come to you guys," Numbuh Three said. "You're my bestest friends ever!"

I handed the necklace to her. "Read what it says."

"Made in Paris?" she asked, confused.

"Other side," I corrected.

"Sector V, together forever."

Everyone grinned. "That's right, baby," Numbuh Five said.

We all came into a group hug. I noticed Numbuh Four hesitating to the side. He was staring at Numbuh Three with such a warm smile, as if seeing her this happy made him feel like flying. When he noticed me smiling at him, he blushed madly giving me a shut-up-its-not-what-you-think glare, then snuck into the group hug.

But we would not be together forever. For at the surprise party the leader of the villains descended upon the Moonbase.

His name was Mr. Boss. He had tried pulling some crazy schemes before, like trying to blast a bunch of girls (and Numbuh Four) to Pluto. (A/N Operation O.F.F.I.C.E., in case you were wondering.) But now he was mad for vengeance and half insane.

"How'd you make it past the security?!" Numbuh 362 yelled.

"You think your childish security can hold me?" he said.

"I'm here to get my total revenge on those group of brats that completely humiliated me!"

The four of us turned to look at Numbuh Three. She was turning pale with fear.

What Mr. Boss was referring to was an incident that happened the week before.

Numbuh Three had been wanting to lead her own mission, so in order to not hurt her feelings I told her to buy a kids meal in a restaurant. (A/N: reference to Operation F.A.S.T.F.O.O.D.)

However, when she went into the restaurant she ran into Numbuh 86, Numbuh 23, and Numbuh 12. They asked her if she was in their mission as well to which she said yes.

When she joined them, they flew off to one of the supervillian meetings. Their intention was to spy on the meeting, until they got caught.

Mr. Boss attempted to catch them but Numbuh 23 grabbed the curtain behind them and tied him up. Then Numbuhs 12 and 86 sprayed him with colorful spray paint until he was covered with rainbows. To top it off, Numbuh 3 took his signature cigar and stuck it up his nose before they all escaped.

All the super villains mocked and laughed at Mr. Boss for being beat by little girls; leaving Mr. Boss humiliated and furious.

But now I was pretty sure his sanity had snapped.

"You little girls are going to pay dearly for that!" He yelled. "You'll pay with this curse." He took out his cigar, which was now glowing and spewing little smokey people.

"The four of you will die," We all gasped. "Before tomorrow night! I won't rest until my honor that you destroyed is restored!"

Then his cigar shot up a huge flame at the main computer. And I knew immediately that this was serious.

We wasted no time in getting to the S.C.A.M.P.E.R., and getting Numbuh Three out of there. She was frozen with shock. She knew this was serious.

On our way back we heard that three other shuttles escaping had crashed landed. Numbuhs 12, 23, and 86 were in them. There were no survivors.

"Oh no!" Numbuh Three yelled. "This can't be happening!"

After we reached our treehouse, we spent the rest of that night tightening our security system. The next day there was nothing else to do but sit around and wait. Numbuh Three wouldn't eat or sleep. She was too shaken up by what was happening.

"Numbuh 12. Numbuh 23. Numbuh 86. He…he…they're all…oh no, no, no," she continued to repeat.

Numbuh Five tried to calm her down while the rest of us paced the room. All of a sudden she burst into tears.

I went over to her. "Don't worry Numbuh Three, don't worry. He's not going to get you. We won't let him. You're going to be safe. We'll protect you, I promise."

Just then, the computed alert went off.

"Sector V, Sector V," Numbuh 362 shouted through the other end. "Evacuate your treehouse immediately! You need to get out of there. Mr. B-" The transmission was cut off.

Before we could do anything, there was a blinding light, and the sound of a small explosion. And before we knew it, the treehouse was on fire and spreading rapidly.

"You heard her guys. Let's go!" I yelled. We ran to the hanger.

Numbuh Three stopped suddenly. "Wait, my rainbow monkey!" She turned around and ran to her room.

"Numbuh Three, get back here RIGHT NOW!" I ran after her. "Numbuh Three come back!"

The fire was everywhere now. I could barley breathe. "Numbuh Three come back here right now. THAT'S A DIRECT ORDER!" I yelled between coughs.

Then she screamed. I ran up further and saw Mr. Boss grabbing her.

"Let me go, please, please," she begged.

"You'll never escape me, child," he said.

I ripped off the nearest tree branch and wacked him over the head with it. That caught him off guard. When he let go of Numbuh Three I pushed him into my room, which was on fire from the inside, and locked the door.

"Hey! Let me out of here! Open this door you little brat, open this door!"

I continued to follow Numbuh Three who started running again. But we didn't get far enough before I heard his agonizing screams. I also heard the Tolienator bang on the door calling after him.

Finally, I made it to Numbuh Three's room. She came out of the curtain hugging her Best-Friends-Forever-and-Always Rainbow Monkey. But then we heard a crackling sound. The fire had reached our fire crackers! (A/N I don't know if they have fire crackers in their treehouses but it's all I could think of.)

"We have to get out of her right now Numbuh Three!" I said.

We started to run toward the hanger but then someone pulled me the other way. The smoke was everywhere now, however, so I couldn't see who it was.

"No go out this way. Out this trap door," whoever it was said.

I could barely hear the voice. All I could at least hear was that it was a boy. He shoved me toward the trap door he mentioned.

"My rainbow monkey!" Numbuh Three yelled. She must've dropped it.

I grabbed her hand before she could run off again.

"Down here," the voice said.

"Wait who are you," I asked, but he pushed me out instead answering.

"No, wait," I heard Numbuh Three say.

"Go now," he said. He pushed Numbuh Three out.

More crackling noises. The treehouse was going to blow any second. I grabbed Numbuh Three's hand and we started to run. The S.C.A.M.P.E.R. arrived a few seconds later.

"Quick, get in you guys," Numbuh Five said.

"Get us out of here now Numbuh Two," I yelled.

"What about the treehouse," he shouted.

"Forget the stupid treehouse. Go!" I shouted back.

Then I noticed something. "Where's Numbuh Four?!"

Before anyone answered, we heard an explosion. The treehouse had blown.

Numbuh Three gasped. "No!" she screamed.

But then she slipped and fell out the door, letting out another scream.

"Numbuh Three," I yelled.

I ran to grab her hand. "Hold on Numbuh Three, hold on."

"Don't let go," she cried.

But her hand slipped out of my clammy palms. I immediately grabbed her long sleeve, but that also tore from under my grasp. She cried out as she plummeted to the ground.

"No!" I screamed.

Her back hit a tree branch. I couldn't tell if the sickening crack came from the tree, or Numbuh Three's spine. She was already unconscious before she hit the ground. (A/N: instead of the treehouse being in Numbuh One's house, I decided to put it in some forest.)

"NUMBUH THREE!"

We were going too fast to turn around. It took a while to finally slow down and turn around. We didn't know if we landed in the right place or not, but we landed and started searching.

It wasn't long before Numbuh Four found us. He was panting.

"I climbed up a tree to see if I could find you guys and I saw her fall. She fell and hit a tree." His eyes were tearing up. "Her head h-hit a boulder wh-when she landed. I got down and tried looking for her but I can't find her. Maybe she landed somewhere else. Maybe she got up and tried looking for us. You guys, we got to find her." He looked like he was going to break into sobs.

"We will, we will," I said trying to sound brave. "We'll find her. Numbuh Five call for help. We need all the help we can get."

About fifteen operatives came to help us look for her. We searched for hours. Eventually the search party gave up. They went back up to the Moonbase. Soon enough, we followed. Only Numbuh Four stayed searching. He didn't want to give up just yet. But in the end, he met up with us on the Moonbase as well.

His eyes were brimming with tears when he met up with us.

"She's gone. That's it, she's gone. She's nowhere to be found. Her head hit a bolder and she might've even broken her spine on that tree branch. She's gone. She's gone, and it's all your cruddy fault," he said pointing at me.

"H-Huh?" I said.

Numbuh Four pushed me then, knocking me to the ground. He was furious. I was too stunned to say anything.

"You let go of her. You let her fall to her doom. You said you were going to protect her but you didn't. You let her fall. She's gone now, all because of you. Some cruddy leader you are. You can't even protect your youngest member," he shouted angrily between sobs.

I didn't get up. I stayed on the ground. Tears were falling uncontrollably now.

Because he was right. Absolutely right. I let her fall. I didn't protect her like I promised. It was my fault.

"Numbuh Four have you lost it?!" Numbuh Five said. "You can't push Numbuh One! And you definitely can't say that to him. He's your leader for crying out loud!"

"Not anymore. Why should I stay with this team? Why should I be in any team when she's gone?" he said. He turned around to leave.

"Numbuh Four you can't run away!" Numbuh Five said to him.

"Watch me." He said without turning around. Then he ran to the escape pods.

I got up then and turned to Numbuh Two. Tears were still falling.

"Go follow him." I told him.

"What?" he asked. "I can't leave you guys."

"Sure you can. You're his best friend. Go follow him and make sure he's okay and that he doesn't do anything stupid. Not that I believe he would actually…well you know. But still. Just follow him."

He looked like he was going to protest, but then he just nodded, gave us a hug, and turned to follow Numbuh Four. We haven't seen them again since.

After they left, Numbuh Five turned to me.

"Numbuh One it is not your fault," she told me.

Instead of arguing, I simply said "Whatever." I knew it was indeed my fault.

Seven years have passed.

Numbuh Five and I remained in the KND after we turned thirteen. I'm not sure if it was because of our loyalty, or if because they sympathized us for that incident.

Right now we live together as roommates in Numbuh Five's house in Paris, since she's part French. We still don't know the whereabouts of Numbuh two and Numbuh Four.

And our sweet Numbuh Three, our youngest teammate. We never saw her again

**And that's chapter 1! Yes, yes I killed Numbuh 86, Numbuh 23, and Numbuh 12. I used the girls from Operation S.L.U.M.B.E.R. as the Romanovs. I know Numbuh 12 was a traitor, just … um just pretend she isn't. And yes I know Numbuh 86 is Mr. Boss's daughter, again just pretend otherwise. It was the best I could come up with. Yes I'm pretty lame. **

**Please review.**


	2. Chapter 2

**I attempted to do Rumor In Saint Petersburg, but in my opinion I think it turned out rather suckish. But tell me what you think.**

_Cleveland__ is gloomy.  
_

_Cleveland is bleak._

People on the streets trudged their way through the snow to get to work. One road worker was too cold to move. 

_My underwear got frozen standing here all week.  
_

The Kids Next Door wasn't doing so well either. Ever since the "curse" fiasco, the kids began to actually fear even the lamest of villains. The villains themselves, however, were still shaken up by Mr. Boss's death. So there was little activity in the KND lately. 

_Oh since the curse incident  
_

_Our lives have been so gray.  
_

_Thank goodness for the gossip  
_

_That gets us through the day.  
_

Most operatives have heard of Numbuh Three's tragic death. But many were starting to ask: was Numbuh Three really dead? No one had found her body, so it could very well be possible that she might just be alive somewhere. 

_Have you heard?  
_

_There's a rumor in the KND.  
_

_Have you heard,  
_

_What they're saying on the street?  
_

_Although so many did not survive  
_

_One girl may be still alive.  
_

_THE OPERATIVE NUMBUH THREE!_

_But please do not repeat._

If Numbuh Three really was alive, she'd be a legend and a hero. But a few doubted this. If she was alive, why hadn't she come back yet? It's been seven years.

_It's a rumor_

_A legend_

_A mystery._

_It's whispered in the alleyway_

_No proof of fact._

_It's a rumor that's part of our history._

Numbuh One had definitely heard this rumor. He felt a sudden burst of hope. If Numbuh Three's body hadn't been found, then she must've been alive somewhere. He wanted to believe this. Then, Numbuh One got an idea.

_They say her leader Numbuh One will pay a great big sum._

_To someone who can bring his teammate back!_

Back in Cleveland, Hoagie P. Gilligan made his way through a busy street, obviously looking for someone. As he passed an alley, he heard a whistle.

"Hoagie," a familiar voice said.

Hoagie turned to see his best friend, Wallabee Beetles.

"Wally," he said.

That fateful day when Wally ran off, Hoagie was sent to follow him. For the first week Wally avoided Hoagie as best as he could. But eventually he realized that he couldn't run from him forever. When Hoagie finally caught up with him, he tried comforting him. But Wally didn't want to be comforted. All that would do is make the pain worse. All he wanted was to forget. To feel nothing whatsoever. So for the past seven years, he and Hoagie made their living off of scams and stealing (food only) since they weren't exactly rich. And Wally learned to ignore his feelings to the point where he truly felt nothing at all. And then, they heard about Numbuh One's big reward. Wally came up with the perfect way to test his indifference.

Wally and Hoagie walked through the streets talking silently. They noticed a couple of kids trying to trade certain items with each other.

_A quarter for this drawing._

_It's Numbuh Three's, I swear._

_And Numbuh Two's pajamas._

_Come on buy the pair._

_I got this from the treehouse._

_It's lined with real faux fur._

_It could be worth a fortune if it belonged to her._

Wally and Hoagie walked into an abandoned warehouse.

"Well Wally, I got us a theater," Hoagie said.

"Yes, everything's going according to plan," Wally said. "All we need is the right girl. Just think Hoags, no more forging papers, no more stolen goods. We'll have three tickets out of here. One for you, one for me and one for Numbuh Three!"

_It's the rumor, the legend, the mystery._

_It's the operative Numbuh Three that will help us fly._

_You and I, friend, will go down in history!_

_We'll find a girl to play the part and teach her what to say._

_Dress her up and take her to Paris _(A/N: that's how it's spelled in French, because in the song they say it in French)

_Imagine the reward that dear old Numbuh One will pay!_

_Who else could pull it off but you and me?_

_We'll be rich! (we'll be rich)_

_We'll be out! (we'll be out)_

_And this stupid place will have some more to talk about!_

They ran back out to the street and hitched a ride on a passing trolley.

_Shh, have you heard?_

_There's a rumor in the KND._

_Have you heard,_

_What they're saying on the street?_

Kids all over the place, even those who were not in the KND, were whispering frantically to each other.

_Have you heard?_

_There's a rumor in the KND._

_Have you heard?_

_Though it's not what you suppose._

_A fascinating mystery._

Wally grinned.

_The biggest con in history!_

_The operative Numbuh Three!_

_Alive or dead?_

_Who knows?_

_Shh!_

**There's chapter two! This story may take a while to finish by the way. I got a lot of things head of me: SAT, drivers test (still don't have my license, how pathetic!), and my AP history class which I'm flunking! But I swear on my Beta fish, Scruffy's, grave, I will finish the story. I have it all in my head. I just need to write it.**


	3. Chapter 3

Meanwhile, in a little orphanage on the outskirts of Cleveland, a teenage girl was being led out by a crabby old lady.

"I got you a job at the seafood market," the old lady said, dragging the girl by her scarf. Okay, so maybe 'led out' wasn't the right term.

"Go straight down this path 'til you hit the fork in the road," she continued. "Go left-"

"Bye," the girl interrupted. "Bye everybody!"

"Are you listening?" the lady asked irritated.

The girl sighed. "I'm listening Comrade Phlegmenkoff."

"Oh Kuki dear, you've been a thorn in my side since you were brought here," Phlegmenkoff growled, pulling her harder. "Acting all high and mighty instead of like the nameless no-account you are"

"Bye everybody, I'll miss you," Kuki continued to call out to the little kids waving goodbye to her.

"For the last seven years I fed you, I clothed you, I-,"

"Kept a roof over my head," Kuki finished.

"Ugh," Phlegmenkoff said, frustrated. "How is it you don't have a clue of who you were before you came to us, but you can remember all that?"

"But I do have a clue."

"Bah, I know. 'Sector V, together forever'," she said mockingly. "And 'made in Paris' huh? So, you want to go to France to find this Sector V thing, do you?"

Kuki nodded and smiled. Phlegmenkoff just laughed.

"Little Miss Kuki, it's time you take your place in life. In life and in line. And be grateful too!"

Then she shoved Kuki out and locked the gate.

"Together forever," she mocked, and then walked back inside.

Kuki walked all the way down the snow covered path until sure enough, she found the fork in the road

To the left was a small town with the seafood market. To the right was Cleveland.

Kuki was more than happy to leave that stupid orphanage. Besides the frustration of having no idea who she was or where she came from, Kuki also had to put with the other kids there. Sure, she loved all the littler kids. But the older kids her age gave her a lot of trouble, like picking on her and calling her a no name loser. Not to mention all the beatings she received from Phlegmenkoff.

"Hmph, I am grateful. Grateful to get to get away." she cried out.

"Go left, she says. Oh I know what's to the left. I'll be Kuki the orphan forever. But if I go right, maybe I can find..."

She sighed and twirled her necklace on her finger.

"What is a Sector V?" she thought out loud.

Maybe it was a group. Why else would it say 'together forever'?

"Whoever gave me this necklace must've loved me. Or at least cared about me. Oh, this is crazy. Me? Go to Paris? How do I even know they're in Paris? Just because this necklace was made there doesn't mean.."

But Kuki knew it was the only lead she had.

She called out to the sky. "Send me a sign. A hint. Anything."

Kuki sat down on a snow bank. And just as she sat down, a little skunk popped out from behind and yanked Kuki's scarf from her.

"Hey. Hey give that back" she giggled.

"Come on skunky I don't have time to play. I'm waiting for a sign."

The skunk started to run around Kuki, wrapping the scarf around her ankles.

"Would you stop that! Hey, whoa!"

Kuki fell forward. The skunk ran to the right and turned to Kuki, her scarf still in his mouth.

"Oh great, a skunk wants me to go to Cleveland." she said.

Then it hit her.

"Okay, I can take a hint."

She got up and followed the skunk. But how was she going to be able to start this journey?

_Heart, don't fail me now._

_Courage, don't desert me._

_Don't turn back now that we're here._

_People always say_

_Life is full of choices._

_No one ever mentions fear._

_Or how the world can seem so vast_

_On journey_

_To the past._

Kuki walked toward the skunk. The road was pretty long. But she knew this journey would be longer. It would all be worth it though, if she found her family.

_Somewhere down this road_

_I know someone's waiting._

_Years of dreams just can't be wrong._

_Arms will open wide._

_I'll be safe and wanted._

_Finally home where I belong._

_Well starting now I'm learning fast_

_On this journey _

_To the past._

Kuki picked up the skunk and walked past a playground, where she saw two parents gently pushing their baby on the swings. They seemed so happy and loving.

_Home, love, family._

_There was once a time I must've had them, too._

_Home, love, family,_

_I will never be complete until I find you._

Kuki smiled and began to skip. She had never felt so determined before.

_One step at a time._

_One hope then another._

_Who knows where this road may go?_

_Back to who I was._

_On to find my future._

_Things my heart still needs to know._

_Yes! Let this be a sign._

_Let this road be mine._

_Let it lead me to my past. _

_And bring me home._

Kuki stared down at the bustling city of Cleveland and grinned.

_At last!_

Walking down sidewalk, Kuki began to feel nervous again.

"How the heck am I supposed to get to Paris? I don't have any money. How am I going to get a ticket?" she wondered out loud.

Then from inside the alley, Kuki heard someone 'psst' her. An old lady dressed in rags, not that different then Kuki's own rags, came out.

"You want to get to Paris?" she asked.

"Umm," Kuki knew the main rule for stranger danger: just walk away. But right now, she was desperate. "Yes I would."

"Then see Wallabee Beetles. He can help you," the old lady said.

Kuki was almost sure she never heard that name before.

"Where can I find him?" she asked.

"In some old treehouse in those woods over there," she pointed. Kuki turned her head to see. It was a pretty long walk. "But you didn't hear it from me," the old lady said.

"Oh, um okay," Kuki said.

The old lady disappeared then, leaving Kuki alone.

"Hmm, Wallabee Beetles," she said.

**Well that didn't take as long as I thought. I'm actually quite pleased with how it turned out.**

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

"And, uh, I love, uh, rainbow chimpies. No, no wait, rainbow... rainbow.."

"Um okay thank you. We'll be in touch. Thanks," Wally said, then turned to Hoagie, who rolled his eyes. "Next." Some trampy looking girl came up next.

"Number One, it's me, Number Three," she said shaking her hips. (A/N: That's my favorite scene in the whole movie. Always makes me laugh.) Hoagie's head banged the table. "Oh you got to be kidding" Wally sighed.

Later that evening, Hoagie and Wally walked down the street looking over the list of girls. "Well that's it Walls. Game over," Hoagie said, a hint of relief in his tone. "We interviewed every girl in this city and still can't find anyone to pretend to be Numbuh Three."

"Aw don't worry Hoagie, she's out here somewhere. We just need to look harder," Wally said. He pulled out a red rainbow monkey. "Just one look at the Best-Friends-Forever-and-Always Rainbow Monkey and Numbuh One will immediately think we brought the real Numbuh Three. And before he starts to catch on, we'll be long gone spending the eleventy thousand bucks."

Hoagie stopped suddenly. "Wally, are you really okay with this?" he asked seriously.

Wally turned around. "What do you mean?" he asked.

"I mean tricking Numbuh One like this. Don't you feel even a little guilty?"

Wally let out an irritated sigh. "Look mate, we're living in our beat up, almost-burned-down treehouse. We have to steal food to keep from starving since we don't have jobs or money."

"We'd still have our jobs at the hardware store if you hadn't punched that guy in the face. And we wouldn't have a restraining order."

"That cruddy worm was asking for it. Look we really need money okay. And now we have a chance."

"But Wally, we're practically stealing from our leader."

For the first time in a long time, Wally's eyes were filled with emotion: anger and pain. Pain. _Not again_, Hoagie thought.

"He ain't my leader. And maybe it's what that cruddy coward deserves!" Then turned sharply and walked off.

Hoagie sighed. He hated to see his friend filled with pain. He spent years trying to prevent it, even if it meant scamming and stealing. But he definitely wasn't comfortable with this scheme. He still had the utmost respect for Numbuh One.  
However, Numbuh One had told him to make sure Wally was okay. And Wally wasn't okay. Even now. He may have looked normal on the outside, but he never felt anything. Even when he smiled, Wally's eyes were dull and lifeless. Hoagie didn't believe this scheme would help his friend. But if it kept him from hurting, then he had no choice but to go along with it.

Hoagie ran to catch up with Wally. Somehow, he managed to find six dollars in his pocket. At least they wouldn't have to steal dinner tonight. He tapped Wally's shoulder and pointed to a pizza shop. "Pepperoni?" he asked.

Wally gave him a small, lifeless smile.

* * *

"How can a guy living in an old treehouse help me get to Paris?" Kuki thought as she wandered through the woods. "What if this guy's a psychopath? Oh man, maybe this wasn't such a good i...dea." Then she saw it. Only to her, it wasn't a treehouse. It was a palace resting on branches. Sure it looked like it suffered some damage. One side looked like it suffered an explosion. But still, the place was huge.

"Well, maybe it won't hurt to check it out," she said to herself. She picked up Bradley, the skunk looked like a Bradley to her, and walked up to the tree.

"Let's see. Maybe I can use this branch here as a starting point and-hey. Bradley what are you..." The skunk scampered up the tree.

"Bradley, wait up," Kuki called to him. She followed after him, using branches and occasional holes as a ladder. Just as she reached the top, a branch snapped under her foot and she slipped.

"Whoa," she cried, but she managed to catch herself before she fell.

* * *

Wally sat up. "Did you hear something, Hoags?"

Hoagie shrugged, not really paying attention. "No. Did you?" He took another bite of his pizza.

"Maybe we should scope the place," Wally said getting up.

* * *

Kuki walked into the treehouse. "Hello? Anybody home?" she called. Bradley crawled around, curiously.

The place definitely suffered a fire. But it still looked sturdy enough to be in. And something about the treehouse struck a chord in Kuki's mind.

"This place. It's like I've seen it in a dream. Or a dream of a dream."

_Dancing bears._

_Painted wings._

_Things I almost remember._

_And a song someone sings._

_Once upon a December._

Kuki looked at the dusty old couch. Five kids appeared on it. They seemed to be fighting in a friendly way, for the remote or something. Half a second later, they disappeared. Kuki blinked. Did she really just see that?

_Someone holds me safe and warm._

_Horses prance through a silver storm._

_Figures dancing gracefully_

_Across my memory._

Suddenly the room was filled with kids. (A/N: The other kids who were in the crashed shuttle.) They were running around carrying funny looking weapon type things. And for some reason, they saluted Kuki.

_Someone holds me safe and warm._

_Horses prance through a silver storm._

_Figures dancing gracefully._

_Across my memory._

Her rags suddenly became a green sweater, much too long for her. She was also wearing black tights and black sneakers.

_Far away._

_Long ago._

_Glowing dim as an ember._

_Things my heart used to know._

_Things it yearns to remember._

Three little girls walked up to Kuki. One had sand-colored, curly hair and pink overalls. The other had short brown hair in two ponytails. She was wearing a black T-shirt and kakis. The girl in the middle wore a green sweater and orange skirt. Her face was dappled with freckles, and she had a helmet over her frizzy red hair. All three of them saluted Kuki. She saluted back.

_And a song someone sings._

_Once upon a December._

"HEY! WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?"

All the kids disappeared. Kuki, back in her rags, turned to see a blonde guy in an orange sweater coming towards her. She ran the other way.

"Hey stop, " he yelled. "Stop, stop, hold on minute."

Kuki did stop. It was too late. She was caught. She turned around, waiting for a scolding.

"Now how did you get in he-here," he stopped and stared. Kuki was standing right next to an old picture of Numbuh Three. The resemblance was incredible.

His friend, slightly chunkier but not by much (A/N: Think of Drake and Josh and how Josh is compared to Drake by the end of the series. Thats Hoagie.), came running up as well. He had yellow goggles and some aviator hat with tuffs of brown hair sticking out. "Excuse me girl, but-"

"Hoagie, do you see what I see?" the blonde man asked. He wasn't much of a man, he was more of a boy really, probably not much older than Kuki. Eighteen at the oldest.

"Uh, no," Hoagie said. He motioned his head toward the picture of Numbuh Three. Hoagie gasped. "Yeah, yeah!"

Kuki had enough of this. "Are you Wallabee Beetles?" she asked.

"A skunk. Cute," Wally said, picking up Bradley and handing him to Hoagie. Then he looked at Kuki. "Perhaps, that depends on who's looking for him." he answered.

"My name's Kuki. I need travel papers." She leaned in closer. "They say you're the man to see, even though I can't tell you who said- what, hey!"  
Wally had started to examine her. "Why are you circling me? What were you, a vulture in another life?" Kuki snapped.

Wally stopped. "Sorry Kelli it's-"

"Kuki," she corrected.

"Kuki, right it's just that you look a lot like...nevermind. So, you said something about travel papers?" he asked, a sly smile spreading across his face.

"Yes," Kuki said. "I'd like to go to Paris."

"You'd like to go to Paris?" he repeated. Wally turned to Hoagie. This was just perfect. But Hoagie was playing with the skunk.

"Aw, who is this little guy, oh look he likes me!"

"Nice skunk. So let me ask you," he continued, "Kuki, was it? Do you have a last name with that?"

"Well, um, I'm not sure." she said. " I don't know my last name. I was found when I was ten years old and..,"

"Ten, huh? And how old are you now?" Wally asked.

"Seventeen," she answered.

"Really. And before you were ten?" he asked.

"Look, I know it's weird, but I don't remember. I have no memories of my past."

Wally smiled again. "Well that's just," he turned to Hoagie. "That's perfect."

"I do have one clue however and that is Paris. So, can you two help me or not?" Kuki asked.

"Well, oddly enough, we're going to Paris too. We're taking a train to Boston and from there we'll take a boat." Wally tapped Hoagie. "Hoagie, tickets," he whispered. "We have three tickets here." Hoagie handed him three _ski ball_ tickets. "Unfortunately, the third ticket is for her, Numbuh Three."

"Huh?" They took her arms then, and led her down the hallway toward Numbuh Three's old room.

"Wally and I are planning to reunite the Grand Operative with her leader, Numbuh One." Hoagie explained. "She was part of an organization called the Kids Next Door before she disappeared."

"You look just like her, ya know." Wally said. Hoagie nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, the same violet eyes."

"That's true," Wally said.

"Her raven black hair." Hoagie continued.

"Totally."

"Check it out Wally, she even has way-too long sleeves."  
"Well that's because it was a hand-me-down," Kuki said.

Wally went on, ignoring her. "She's the same age, the same physical type.."

"Are you trying to tell me that you think that I'm this Numbuh Three?" Kuki asked with disbelief.

"All I trying to say is that I've seen buhmillions of girls all over the country and not one of them looks as much like her as you. I mean, look at the picture," Wally said, handing her the picture frame.

"Wow. I knew you were crazy from the beginning, but now I think you're both mad," she said.

"But why?" Wally asked. "You don't remember what happened to you."

"No one knows what happened to her," Hoagie added.

"You're looking for family in Paris."

"And the closest thing she has to a family is in Paris."

"Have you ever thought about the possibilities," Wally asked.

"That I could be an operative?"

Hoagie and Wally nodded. "Mmhmm!"

"Well I don't know, it's kind of hard to picture yourself as an operative when you're sleeping on a damp floor. But sure. I guess every lonely kid would hope they were an organization like this," Kuki said.

"And somewhere," Hoagie said, "one kid is. After all, Numbuh Three had a tendency to rise from expectations."

"Yeah," Wally cut in. "Really wish we could help, but the third ticket is for the Grand Operative." He put his arm around Hoagie, and they walked away, leaving Kuki alone with the picture.

"Good luck," he called back.

Kuki looked at the picture in her hands. One thing was true, she sure did look a lot like Numbuh Three. _Maybe, just maybe, those buffoons might be on to something_, she thought. But what if they were wrong? There was only one way to find out. Perhaps if she went to see this Numbuh One, old memories might just spark..."

"What are you doing? Why didn't you tell her about our brilliant plan?" Hoagie asked him.

"All she wants to do is go to Paris. Why give away a third of the reward money?" Wally answered. "Besides, I got it all under control. Wait for it..and..."

"WALLY!" Kuki cried.

Hoagie grinned. "Right in the palm of our hands."

"Wally, wait!"

Wally turned around. "Didja call me?"

"Okay, if I don't remember who I am, then who's to say I'm not an agent or an operative or whatever she is right?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"Uh huh, and if I'm not Numbuh Three, then her leader will know right away and it will all just be an honest mistake."

"Sounds reasonable," Wally said.

"But if you are the Grand Operative, then you'll finally know who you are and have your friends back," Hoagie told her.

"Ya know, he's right. Either way it gets you to Paris." Wally held out his hand.

"Right," Kuki said, shaking it.

"Ow!" he cried, pulling his hand back. Strange, Numbuh Three had a grip just like that. What if..._Don't be stupid. Shut up_, Wally thought.

He cleared his throat. "Well Numbuh Three, shall we be off?" he asked.

"Bradley, we are going to Paris!" Kuki said happily.

"Uh, the skunk stays," Wally told her.

"What are you talking about? The skunk goes," she contradicted.

"No, he stays."

"I say he's going."


	5. Chapter 5

The Tolienator stood outside a construction site port-a-potty which he stole years ago. Mr. Boss's cigar rested in his pocket. He found it lying outside Sector V's treehouse the day Mr. Boss died. After his death, The Tolienator had nowhere else to go and nothing else to do. He had tried being a villain just to get Mr. Boss's attention. So nowadays he simply hung around his port-a-potty in an empty lot (A/N: The kind that's in between two giant buildings. I'm not good at describing things, am I?).

When he heard footsteps and the sound of voices coming toward the lot, The Tolienator quickly hid inside the port-a-potty.

"I can't believe you're bringing the skunk." he heard a guy say. "I can't believe you're still whining about it" a girl responded.

The Tolienator opened the door a crack and peeked out. He saw three teenagers walking past him. "Well I just don't think it'll be presentable for you to show up at Numbuh One's with that stinky weasel, 'Numbuh Three'," the blonde boy said. The skunk in the girl's arms sprayed him with skunk stink.

The Tolienator closed the door. "Numbuh Three?" he said to himself. "Ha, one problem there, pal. Numbuh Three's dead. All four of those little girls are dead. They're dead. Dead, dead, dead." The cigar in his pocket started to glow and spew little smoke demons. "Am I right my friend?" he asked one of the demons, obliviously. "I mean, how can that be...wahh!" he screamed when he noticed it. He took the cigar out of his pocket. It wasn't made of paper, and it was larger than a regular one, about the size of a corn cob. It was was made of glass, and it didn't burn out. And now it started to glow green. "Oh come on. Am I supposed to believe this thing woke up after all these years just because some guy claims that girl is Numbuh Three?" he asked. More demons flew out. "Okay, okay I get it. Enough with the smoke people already!" The Tolienator paused to think for a minute. "If this thing's come back to life, it must mean...Numbuh Three's alive." He looked back out at the girl. "And that's her."

And then, as if it had a mind of its own, the cigar flew right into the toilet, dragging The Tolienator with it. "Ahh! Mayday, mayday!" It flew rapidly underground, past the crust, dinosaur fossils, and molten magma. "Wahh, hot, hot, hot," he cried.

The cigar flew all the way until it reached a wide open place where a giant island-like bolder, made entirely out of rocks and bones, was floating. The Tolienator crashed into a pile of bones.

"Ow! Oh boy, that's going to leave a mark. Ow," he complained.

"WHO DARES INTRUDE ON MY SOLITUDE?! GET OUT!" a familiar voice called out. Too familiar. The Tolienator looked up to see a hunched figure coming toward him. When it made it made its way into the light, The Tolienator gasped at who he saw.

"Mr. Boss?!"

Mr. Boss saw The Tolienator and slapped his forehead. "Aw geeze, it's The Tolienator!" he cried.

Yep, it was Mr. Boss alright. "You're alive?" The Tolienator asked in awe.

"Ha. In a manner of speaking," he said, emphasizing the word _speaking_, which caused his eyeball to pop out of his socket and land in The Tolienator's palms.

"Um, th-that fell right out sir. Ew," he said.

"Something's happened," Mr. Boss said, putting his eye back in. "I can feel the dark forces stirring!"

"Well I'm not surprised sir because I saw her, Numbuh Three," Tolienator said.

"What?" he asked causing his lips to slide down to his tie. "Numbuh Three? Alive?"

The Tolienator looked really grossed out. "Um, sir? Your lips, they're uh.."

"That little KND brat?" his lips continued to say from his tie.

"Okay," Tolienator said while placing Mr. Boss's lips back on his mouth. "Well I guess a curse just ain't what it used to be, huh?"

"That's why I'm stuck here in limbo," Mr. Boss yelled, banging his fists on the wall. "My curse is not fulfilled!" His hand, too, flew off as well.

"Oh, don't worry Mr. Boss, I got it," The Tolienator said.

Mr. Boss began to sob. "Oh, look at me, Tolienator. I'm falling apart. I'm a wreck!"

The Tolienator came back to him with his severed hand. "Actually sir, considering how long you've been dead, you look pretty good!" Mr. Boss hid his face. "Aw, come on you do, you do."

"R-really?" he asked. It wasn't true. Mr. Boss was now old and wrinkly, kind of like a zombie. Not unlike when he was senior cita-zombiefied.

The Tolienator faked a smile. "Mr. Boss, is this the face of a villain who would lie to you?" His smile started to quiver. He went on before he gave himself away. "Come on sir, for a minute there you had your old spark back."

"Yeah, before I lost the gift from the dark forces. The key to my powers."

The Tolienator pulled out the cigar. "What, you this cigar thing here?"

Mr. Boss gasped. "Where did you get that?!" he asked.

"Oh, I found it," Tolienator responded.

"Give it to me!" he shouted, snatching it out of his hands.

"Okay, okay. No need to be grabby."

Mr. Boss laughed manically. "My old friend, together again. Finally my curse will be fulfilled. And the last of those brats will die!"

_In the dark of the night I was tossing and turning._

_And the nightmare I had was as bad as can be._

_It scared me out of my wits._

_A corpse falling to bits._

_Then I opened my eyes and the nightmare was me._

_I was once the most powerful villain in Cleveland._

_When those kids humiliated me they made a mistake._

_My curse made each of them pay._

_But one little girl got away._

_Little Kuki beware Mr. Boss is awake._

The cigar shot out another puff of smoke. In it, they could see Kuki. She was boarding a train with a huge grin on her face.

_In the dark of the night evil will find her._

_In the dark of the night just before dawn._

_Revenge will be sweet._

_When the curse is complete._

_In the dark of the night_

_She'll be gone._

The Tolienator looked around nervously. A bunch of singing bugs came out and danced all around. _Well that's a little weird _he thought.

_I can feel my powers are slowly returning._

_Tie my sash and a dash of cologne for that smell._

Mr. Boss was wearing a black wig and was brushing it in the mirror. An image of Kuki appeared, repeating the action. Why he was doing that, the Tolienator would never know. Obviously, his time here hasn't restored his sanity.

_As the pieces fall into place._

_I'll see her crawl into place._

_Sayonara Kuki, Your Grace_

_Farewell_

_In the dark of the night terror will strike her_

_(Terror's the least I can do)_

_In the dark of the night evil will rule_

_Soon she will feel that the nightmares are real_

_In the dark of the night _

_She'll be through._

_In the dark of the evil will find her._

_In the dark of the night terror will doom her_

_My dear here's a sign._

_It's the end of the line._

_In the dark of the night, in the dark of the night._

Hundreds of smoke demons spewed out of his cigar and flew up to the surface, ready to fulfill their purpose.

_Come my minions rise for your master._

_Let your evil shine._

_Find her now, yes, fly ever faster_

_In the dark of the night_

_In the dark of the night_

_In the dark of the night_

_She'll be mine!_

* * *

Kuki, Wally, Hoagie and Bradley were now on the train to Boston. Inside their compartment, Wally was placing the suitcases up in the storage area, while Hoagie was finishing up some paperwork. Kuki was sitting in the seat opposite from him. When he put up the last suitcase, Wally attempted to take the seat next to Hoagie but stopped when he heard Bradley snarl (skunks snarl) under him.

"Hm, stinker gets the window seat, huh?"

He settled for the seat next to Kuki. Kuki was twiddling with her necklace, an unconscious habit that really started to bug Wally. "Would you stop fiddling with that thing and sit up straight, come on. Remember, you're a Grand Operative."

Kuki glared at him and slouched further. "Hmph, how is it you know what Grand Operatives do or don't do?"

Wally smirked. "Trust me, I know more than you think," he said.

Hoagie looked up from his paperwork and rolled his eyes. "Operative maybe, but _Grand_ Operative? Yeah right," he muttered under his breath.

"Wally," Kuki asked, "do you really think I'm a high-ranking operative?"

"You know I do," he answered.

"Then stop bossing me around," she snapped.

Hoagie snickered. "Well, she certainly has a mind of her own," he said.

Wally slouched in defeat. "Yeah, I hate that in a woman."

Kuki merely stuck her tongue out at him. Smiling, Hoagie pulled out a piece of paper with a score sheet. He gave Kuki two more points, adding it up to twenty-five, while Wally only had three.

Wally came in from the bathroom. Kuki was sitting in her seat reading a magazine.

He stood there for a few seconds, really looking at her. It was just a little weird. How can anyone possibly look as much like Numbuh Three as she does? The way she sat cross-legged, the way she stuck her tongue out him, it was completely identical to Numbuh Three. Even the exact shade of violet her eyes were the same. _Oh would you stop. It's a common eye color,_ he thought even though he knew that wasn't true._ Don't be stupid. There is absolutely no cruddy way she can possibly be…her._ With that in mind he went to take a seat across from her, wondering where Hoagie went.

Wally paused for a few minutes trying to think of something to say. "Look, I think we got off on the wrong foot," he said, finally.

"Well I think we did, too," Kuki said. "But I appreciate your apology."

"What? Who said anything about an apology? If anything, you're the one who should be-"

"Oh, just stop talking. It's only going to upset me," she said.

Wally gritted his teeth. The nerve of her! She should be grateful that they were taking her to Paris, instead of acting all stuck up. But instead of starting an argument, he just sat back. "Fine, I'll be quiet if you will."

"Okay, I'll be quiet," Kuki said.

"Fine."

"Fine," she finished.

They turned away from each other. Kuki stared out the window at the passing trees and sighed. "So you think you're going to miss it," she asked.

Wally groaned. "Miss what? You talking?"

"No. America."

"Oh," Wally rolled his eyes. "No cruddy way."

"But it was your home," Kuki said.

"No, it was a place I once lived. End of story," he told her.

"Well then I guess on making Paris your true home," she said.

Wally raised an eyebrow. "What is it with you and homes?" he asked. Kuki stood up. He put his feet up, blocking her way to annoy her.

"Well for one thing it's something that every normal person wants," she said trying to get through. "And for another thing it's a thing were…you..uh.."

"What?" he asked, messing with her even more.

"Oh, just forget it!" Hoagie walked in just then. "Oh thank goodness it's you, please just remove him from my sight," she said pointing at Wally. Hoagie groaned.

"What have you done to her?" he asked.

Wally stood up. "Me? It's her," he accused.

"Ha!" Kuki cried. Then she left.

"Oh no," Hoagie said. "An unspoken attraction."

"ATTRACTION?!? To that skinny little brat? Have you lost your mind?" Wally yelled.

"I was only asking a simple question." Hoagie said.

"Attraction, ridiculous!" Wally turned around to leave. But he stopped and turned his head to Hoagie. "I've been down that road before, Hoagie. And I ain't going back." Then he left. Hoagie sighed. Wally had to stop keeping his feelings bottled up. Some emotions were already starting to come out. If he kept this up, then by the time the pain burst out, it would be worse than ever.

* * *

The smoke demons flew until they reached the train. First things first, they had to get the train to go faster. They flew into the engine and burned the coal more rapidly. The train started to pick up speed.

* * *

Hoagie walked past a group of people talking with their passports. He smiled at his own 'homemade' passport until he saw the real ones.

"Last month, the travel papers were blue, but now they're red," someone said.

Hoagie looked at his papers, which were blue. "Yahh," he cried. He shoved past all the people to his compartment.

Inside, Wally was playing some videogame while Kuki was asleep. Wally looked up when Hoagie came in out of breath.

"Man I hate this government. Everything's in red," he said.

"What?" Wally asked.

"I say we move to the baggage car before the guards come," Hoagie suggested.

"I say we get off this train."

Wally went to wake up Kuki. He noticed Bradley snarling at the window, but ignored him. "Hey, wake up," he said, only to be smacked in the nose. "Ow!" He fell back into the seat.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry," she said. "I thought you were someone that-" But then she saw Wally tilting his head back to stop the bleeding. "Oh it's you. Well that's okay then."

"Oh, just come on. We have to go," he said.

"Where are we going?" Kuki asked.

"Crud, I think you broke my nose," Wally complained, humiliated that a girl actually made him bleed.

Kuki rolled her eyes. "Men are such babies," she muttered under her breath. (A/N Best line in the movie.)

The four of them snuck into the baggage car just in time. "Yep. Yeah, this will do nicely," Wally said.

"Ugh, she'll freeze in here," Hoagie whispered, shivering.

"She can thaw in Paris," Wally answered.

"The baggage car?" Kuki asked.

"Ehehe," they both shrugged nervously.

"There wouldn't happen to be anything wrong with our papers now, would there maestro?" she asked with a smirk.

"No, of course not," Wally said. "I just hate to see you forced to mingle with all those low-ranking losers." At that moment, a loud explosion separated the engine and baggage car from the rest of the train. Kuki, Wally, and Hoagie fell backwards.

"What in the name of crud was that?" Wally asked.

"I don't know, man," Hoagie cried. "But there goes the dining car."

"Oof. Get off of me," Kuki shouted at Wally

"Ugh, I'm trying," he said. She kicked him off.

"Uh, Wally?" Hoagie said. Wally tried to stand up.

"What now?" he asked.

"I think someone's flambéed our engine."

Wally went to the door next to Hoagie. "Something's not right. Stay here I'll check it out," He went out and crossed the coal car to the engine. But no one was in the driver's seat, which was burning.

"Hello? Is anyone here?" Wally asked. He checked the speedometer, but it blew up as it reached past 60 miles per hour.

Kuki and Hoagie waited nervously. "We're going way too fast," Kuki cried. Wally jumped back in then.

"No one's driving this train. We're going to have to jump."

"Did you say 'jump'," Kuki asked. Wally opened the side door. But the train was driving along a cliff side. "After you," she cried. Wally looked at her, crazy. Now was not the time to be sarcastic.

"Fine, then we'll uncouple the car," he said. Too bad the smoke demons overheard. They hardened the medal links.

"Quick, hand me a wrench, or an axe or anything," Wally called to Hoagie. He handed him a wrench. But it only broke.

Bradley let out a squeak. Kuki saw him standing on a box filled with..dynamite!

"Come on, there's gotta be something better than this." Wally cried. Kuki gave him a stick of dynamite. "That'll work," he said.

He stuck it in the train's link and the four of them ran for cover behind a bunch of crates. Wally raised an eyebrow. "What do they teach you in those orphanages?"

The dynamite blew up. But they were still going incredibly fast. Hoagie tried to stop it but it wouldn't work.

"The brakes are out," he cried.

"Well turn harder," Wally said. But the brakes broke off.

"Don't worry. We have plenty of track, we'll just coast to a stop." He said.

The car went over a bump which knocked them backwards. The smoke demons all came together and destroyed the upcoming bridge. Hoagie, Wally, and Kuki looked up and gasped. "You were saying?" Kuki asked. Again with the sarcasm.

Wally looked around and saw a chain with hooks at the ends. "I got an idea Hoags. Help me out with this," he said. Hoagie fell into a crate.

Wally got down to the bottom of the car. "Hand me the chain," he called.

Kuki passed it to him. "Not you," he said. It was too dangerous for her to be this close to the edge. "Hoagie's busy at the moment," she responded.

Wally sighed and took the chain from her. He tied it to the bottom of the car. A piece of the train fell off at that moment and tumbled toward Wally. Kuki grabbed his hand and pulled him back up to her, a little too close. Kuki felt her cheeks warm while Wally hoped she couldn't see his own red tinted cheeks. Then they turned and saw the metal smash into a tree. Kuki shook off the awkward moment. "And to think that could've been you," she said.

She pulled him up and Wally sighed. "If we live through this, remind me to thank you."

They went to the other end of the chain. "Here goes nothing. Brace yourself," Wally said. They pushed it off. The hook caught the train track. But it pulled the track along with the car, causing it to spin around. The side door turned to face the snow. Hoagie, Kuki, Wally, and Bradley went to the edge.

"Well," Kuki said, "this is our stop." They all jumped out into the snow just before the train fell off the cliff into the icy river.

The three of them stood up.

"Hoagie, I hate trains," Wally said. "Remind me never to get on a train again.

* * *

**Wow, this was my longest chapter yet. Sorry it took a while, I was studying for SAT all week. I'll try to get Chapter 6 up sooner than this one.**


	6. Chapter 6

_**Learn to do it **_**was extremely difficult to write. It took forever to get to work for this story, but I was absolutely determined to do it so let me know how you all think it turned out.**

* * *

_Remind me never to get on a train again._ Mr. Boss had just watched his entire scheme blow up through the smoke of his cigar. "NO, NO, NO, NO, NO!" he cried. He was strangling himself and yanking his hair out of frustration. It was a rather creepy sight.

"Uh, wow," The Tolienator said. "Mr. Boss, sir, you really should watch your blood pressure. This kind of stress can be pretty fatal, ya know."

Mr. Boss was still fuming; his face was red with fury. "How could they let her escape?Again! How?" he screamed.

"Yeah, your right sir, its very upsetting. I guess this cigar, here, is broken." The Tolienator dropped the cigar to the ground and lifted his foot, preparing to crush it. "NO!" Mr. Boss cried as he ran to stop him. He grabbed Tolienator's leg and swung him out of the way, then reached for the cigar. The Tolienator could practically see steam flying out of his ears.

"Okay, calm down Mr. Boss. Remember your blood pressure," he told him.

Mr. Boss looked at him. "I sold my soul for this," he said, walking toward him. "My life, my very existence depends on it. And you, hehe, almost DESTROYED IT!" He started to choke him.

"Oh, w-ell th-that is one p-pricey re-reliquary, th-then. I get it, I get it," Tolienator gasped. "See that you remember, you miserable loser," Mr. Boss growled, before tossing him aside.

The Tolienator muttered under his breath. "Oh sure, just keep blaming me. Everything is always my fault. Like I made you sell your soul to-"

"What are you muttering about," Mr. Boss asked.

Tolienator stood up. "Numbuh Three, sir. Just wishing I could do the job for ya. I'd give her a HA! Then a HIYA! And I'd kick her sir."

Mr. Boss chuckled cruelly. "Oh, I've got something else in mind. Something much more enticing. Something really….cruel."

* * *

It took many hours before the group managed to make it off the mountain where the train had crashed. "So, are we walking to Paris, now?" Kuki asked.

"We're still taking a boat in Boston, remember?" Wally answered.

"Oh. So we're walking to Boston."

"No, Numbuh Three, sir," Wally said. "We're taking a bus."

Kuki sighed. "A bus. That's nice."

They walked many more miles for what seemed like decades. Finally, they stopped to rest by a little creek with a small bridge. Hoagie started to act strange. He kept twirling around and humming to himself. When they stopped, he even picked some flowers. "Abigail! Hoagie's on his way, baby!" he cried out. Kuki turned to Wally. "Who's Abigail?" she asked him.

"Who's Abigail?" Hoagie repeated.

Wally ran up to him. "Shh, Hoagie," he said. Hoagie wasn't paying attention.

"Abby is a wondrous young woman!"

"Hoagie!"

"She's a tender blossom."

"Shut up!"

"A cup of hot chocolate after a long walk in the snow!"

"Hoagie, ix-nay on the abby-Ay!" Wally hissed.

Hoagie grabbed his hands and twirled Wally around with him. "She's a decadent pastry filled with whipped cream and laughter!" he went on, pulling him into a dip.

"Is this a person or a cream puff?" Kuki asked Wally, giggling.

Hoagie spun him then tossed him aside. "She's Numbuh One's ravishing second in command!" he cried.

Kuki was puzzled. "But I thought we were going to see Numbuh One himself. Why are we going to see his second in command?" she turned to Wally who was backing away nervously. "Wally…" she said suspiciously. Wally rubbed the back of his head. "Well," he said, "No one is allowed near Numbuh One without convincing Numbuh Five first."

Kuki felt sick to her stomach. "Oh no, not me. No. Nobody ever told me I had to prove I was Numbuh Three!"

"But, would you listen," Wally said.

"Show up, yes. Look nice, fine. But lie?" she asked.

"You don't know it's a lie. What if its true?" he said, even though he knew it was all a lie. Kuki could see he was thinking that. "Ugh," she turned to walked away.

"Okay, okay," Wally said, running to face her. "So we hit one more bump in the road to finding out who you are. I just thought this was something you had to see though to the end no matter what."

"But look at me Wally, I'm not exactly Grand Operative material here," she said, motioning at her rags.

She walked over to the bridge where Hoagie was still dancing. He stopped and handed Kuki a rose and looked at their reflection in the water. "Tell me, hun, what do you see?" he asked her. Kuki glared at her reflection.

"Hmph, I see a skinny, little nobody with no past, and no future." She dropped the rose into the water.

Hoagie smiled at her. "Well, I see an engaging and fiery young woman, who, on a number occasions, has shown a regal command equal to any operative in the world. And I've known my share of KND operatives." He looked over his shoulder and then faced Kuki again. "You see, dear, I was a pilot and 2x4 technician in the KND, a long time ago." Kuki smiled back. She knew he was trying to help, and she appreciated that. Leave it to Wally to screw it up, though.

"So are you ready to become the Grand Operative Numbuh Three?" he asked.

Kuki groaned and walked away. Hoagie glared at him and rolled his eyes. "What?" Wally asked.

Hoagie sighed and turned back to Kuki. "Kuki, there's nothing left for you back there. Everything is in Paris."

Kuki looked at her necklace. Then she took a deep breath and turned back to the boys. "Gentlemen, start your teaching."

"I remember it well," Hoagie said.

_You were born in a hospital by the sea. _

_A hospital by the sea. Could it be? _

_Yes that's right, you rode ponies when you were only three. _

_Pony riding, me? _

_And the pony, it was white. _

_You made faces and terrorized the cook, _

_through him in the brook. _

_Was I wild?_

_Wrote the book. _

_But you'd behave when Numbuh One would give that look. _

_Remember how it was. _

_Your long forgotten past. _

_We've lots and lots to teach you and the time is going fast. _

_Alright, I'm ready. _

They went up to a log and climbed on. Hoagie placed a twig on her head, and Wally stood behind to spot her.

_Now shoulders back and stand up tall. _

_And do not walk, but try to float. _

_I feel a little foolish, am I floating? _

_Like a little boat. _

_You give a bow. _

_What happens now? _

_You're saluted just like this_.

Wally put his hand up to his forehead to salute her.

_Most of all remember this: _

_If I can learn to do it, you can learn to do it. _

_Something in ya knows it._

_There's nothing to it._

_Follow in my footsteps, shoe by shoe._

_You can learn to do it, too._

Wally got them on a passing truck. The driver didn't seem to mind giving them a ride. Hoagie set up a table and they began to teach Kuki Numbuh Three's table etiquette.

_Now elbows in, and sit up straight._

_And never slurp the green tea._

_I never cared for gross green tea!_

_She said that just like Numbuh Three!_

_The samovar,_

_The caviar,_

_Desert and then good night?_

_Not until you get this right._

They stopped at a fair with pony rides. Now it was time to teach Kuki to ride ponies just like Numbuh Three. After a while, Kuki found herself galloping through a trail perfectly. She jumped over a log and turned back to grin. Hoagie jumped it and caught up to her, giving her a high five. Wally attempted to jump the log but the pony stop right in front of it, which sent Wally flying forward right into a mud puddle.

_If I can learn to do it (if he can learn to do it)_

_You can learn to do it (you can learn to do it)_

_Pull yourself together._

_And you'll pull through it._

_Tell yourself its easy._

_And its true!_

_You can learn to do it, too!_

Back on the truck, Hoagie had an album full of previous Kids Next Door operative that he showed Kuki.

"Next we memorize the names of the operatives," he said

_Now here we have Numbuh Sixty,_

_Gave Thirteen a wedgie._

_he's very edgy._

_And here we have Numbuh Forty_

_Loved his birdie._

_Got it Kuki?_

_(no)_

_Numbuh Fifty_

_(he was..)_

_Short._

_Numbuh Thirty-four_

_(had a..)_

_Wart._

_Sixty-Five Point Three_

_Wore a colander for a hat._

_I hear he's still a little fat._

_And I recall his yellow cat!_

_I don't believe we told her that._

Wally tried extremely hard not to stare at her. He also told himself not to even think about it, but it was just too hard. Everything she did, everything, was exactly like Numbuh Three. The pony riding. The way she squealed with excitement when she answered a question correctly. She even mentioned a few things that neither he, nor Hoagie, remembered telling her. But they were just simple things that anyone could have guessed. _It doesn't mean anything_, he told himself. Wally looked once more at Kuki. Even the way her hair blew in the wind was exactly the same. But he knew better than to get his hopes up. Because eventually, something will bring them back down, crushing them. Destroying them. Leaving you with twice the pain you had before. Wally shook his head, reminding himself why they were doing all this in the first place. _Eleventy thousand bucks,_ he thought, _here we come._

Kuki was now attempting to ride a bike. They say, once you learn you never forget. She was about to find out if that was true.

_If you can learn_ _to do it._

_I can learn to do it._

_Don't know how you knew it._

_I simply knew it._

_Suddenly I feel like someone knew!_

_Kuki, you're a dream come true!_

At last, the group made it to Boston. After buying their tickets, they all prepared to board the ship to Paris.

_If I can learn to do it,_

_You can learn to do it._

_Pull yourself together, _

_And you'll pull through it._

_Tell yourself its easy, and its true._

_You can learn to do it,_

_Nothing to it._

_You can learn to do it, too!_

On board, Wally came up to Kuki with a simple, pink dress. "Here," he said, awkwardly, "I bought you a dress."

Kuki giggled and looked inside of it. "You bought me a tent," she said. Wally raised an eyebrow. "What are you looking for?" he asked. "The Big-Top circus, I think its still in here," she answered from inside the dress. "Oh come on. Just put it on," he said.

He left their room so she could change. Kuki eyed the dress thoughtfully and decided that wasn't so bad.

Back on the deck, Hoagie and Wally were playing with their old yipper cards. "Well let's see if that beats Yipper number 96," Hoagie said, triumphantly.

"Hmph, you better not have stolen it from nerds," Wally said.

"Please, you think I'm that stupid," he said.

Kuki walked up just then, wearing the dress. She still had her dirty, old sneaker, since she had no other shoes. But she still looked nice.

Hoagie looked up. "Perfect," he said. "Just marvelous, don't ya think."

Wally looked at her, then mentally kicked himself. In the store, he didn't notice that it was the same dress Numbuh Three wore in their school play of West Side Story. Only it was made for juniors, instead of kids. With Kuki wearing it, there was no denying that she looked like Numbuh Three's seventeen-year-old twin.

"Alright," Hoagie said, "now you're dressed for a party, and you will learn to dance for one, too. Wally," he said, grabbing Wally's arm and bringing him up to her.

"What? Me, dance with her. Nu-uh. No way," he said.

"Come on man, Numbuh Three loved dancing," Hoagie said.

"Well, why can't you do it? You're better anyway," Wally asked.

"Because I'm going to count off the steps for you," he answered. Then he pushed him right up to Kuki and took a step back. "Now let's go."

"You couldn't pay me," Wally said.

"But I could _dare_ you. Oh, but who cares. You'd be too chicken to take that dare, anyway."

He had him there. Wally could never turn down a dare. "_Chicken_? How's this for chicken?" he cried.

He turned around and took Kuki's hand, wrapping his arm around her waist. She blushed, but put her arm around his shoulder. After realizing what he just did, Wally froze. Kuki began to move.

Hoagie counted them off. "And one, two, three, one, two, three- no wait," he stopped them. "Kuki, you don't lead. Let him."

Wally and Kuki looked at each other. They began to sway back and forth, and side to side. Kuki's cheeks were like two carnation petals. Wally's face was like a tomato. Hoagie could've sworn he saw a real smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. Yes, Kuki looked exactly like Numbuh Three, in every way. She was just as lovely. Her flowing, black hair blew lightly in the breeze. Her porcelain skin glowed in the sunset. She twirled around with such graceful movements, as if she's been doing it her whole life. Wally couldn't believe it, he shouldn't believe it. But right there, as he looked at her, all he saw Numbuh Three.

Hoagie sat down and smiled.

_It's one, two, three, then suddenly_

_I see it as a glance._

_She's radiant, and confidant, and born to take this chance._

_I planned it all, I taught her well, I just forgot…_

_Romance._

Hoagie saw Kuki's pink cheeks. The way she was looking at Wally. He didn't think it would actually happen, seeing how much they were bickering, but it seemed, now, that she was falling for Wallabee Beetles. He knew Wally wouldn't feel the same way, unless he started believing that Kuki really was…but there was no way he would think that.

_Hoagie, how could you do this?_

He scooped Bradley up in his arms.

_How will we get through this?_

_I never should have let them dance._

Kuki and Wally continued to dance. Kuki tried to smile at him, but Wally just kept staring. He couldn't think. "I'm, uh, getting kind of dizzy," Kuki said.

Wally stopped dancing. "Yeah, 'cause, um, 'c-cause of the s-spinning, I guess," he said. "Maybe we should stop."

"We have stopped," Kuki said.

Wally's heart was racing. The sunset was reflecting in her eyes. She was so beautiful, so much like Numbuh Three, that it made his chest hurt. He didn't even realize he was leaning forward until Kuki closed her eyes. At that moment, his brain seemed to snap back to life. He stopped, suddenly, let go of her and backed away quickly. What the crud was he doing?

Kuki opened her eyes, surprised by his sudden reaction.

"Uh, K-Kuki, um, y-you're doing f-fine, j-just fine," he stuttered. He backed up a little more before turning around and running off.

Kuki stared after him. Her heart was hammering in her chest. This feeling, it was so… familiar.

* * *

Wally was staring out at the sea, at the bow of the ship. What was he thinking? Why was about to…_kiss _Kuki? Why couldn't he just snap out of it already and see that Kuki was absolutely not Numbuh Three? That would be impossible. He remembered that dreadful night clearly, though never tried to think about it. He remembered hearing Numbuh Three scream in the treehouse. And when he found her with Numbuh One, though he couldn't see them through the smoke, and how he ran back to grab her rainbow monkey after pushing them out the trapdoor. (A/N I'm sure you've realized by now that it was Wally that got them out. If not, then there you go.)

The treehouse exploded just as he jumped out the trapdoor. He had blacked out for a minute. When he got up, seeing that his teammates were nowhere to be found, he climbed up a tree hoping to spot them from up there. That's when he saw her slip out of Numbuh One's grasp and fall. He remembered searching for her all night without any luck. She was gone, which is why it would impossible for Kuki to be Numbuh Three.

But nothing was impossible. And maybe there was a possibility that Kuki was Numbuh Three. He said it himself: Kuki doesn't remember what happened to her, and no one knows what happened to Numbuh Three.

Wally gripped the railing tighter. _Shut up, shut up, shut up_, he screamed mentally. _You can't get your hopes up now, you can't. So shut up!_

* * *

Kuki and Hoagie were sitting beside the bunk bed.

Hoagie was thinking about Abby. He and Numbuh five have actually kept in touch all these years via email, letters, and the very occasional phone call. He thought about the day he fell in love with her. It was the last time he saw her in person, which was actually four years ago. Abby had come to the memorial hospital to visit her sister, who had given birth, while Hoagie was visiting his sick grandmother. When they saw each other, they went crazy, hugged, and talked for hours. Hoagie told her how Wally was doing, while she told him how Nigel was doing. Somewhere in the reunion, Hoagie ended up kissing her. It was a spur of the moment thing that he hadn't planned on doing. But it just happened. To his relief and joy, instead of pushing him away, Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back. Hoagie hadn't told Wally about the reunion.

Back on the ship, it was night now, and it had begun to rain outside. Wally was fast asleep in the corner. He had taken off his sweater but remained in his jeans and white T-shirt. Kuki and Hoagie were in pajamas, Hoagie in plaid button down shirt and pants, Kuki had purple cotton bottoms with a yellow T-shirt.

Kuki looked over at Hoagie, who was starting to look pretty green. "Are you alright?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine, just riddled with envy. I mean look at him," he said, pointing at Wally. "He can sleep through anything."

Bradley was going a bag and came out holding a stuffed animal in his mouth. Kuki had seen one of those before. It was a rainbow monkey. She took it from Bradley and looked at it.

"Cute rainbow monkey, huh," Hoagie said.

"Hm, are you sure that's all it is?" Kuki asked.

Hoagie shrugged. "What else could it be?"

"I don't know," she said. "Something else. Something special. A reminder or something."

She looked at Hoagie, who was climbing up to his bunk. "Is that possible?" she asked him.

"Anything's possible," he said. "You got Wally to dance, didn't you?"

Kuki giggled. "Sweet dreams, Numbuh Three, sir," he said.

"Night," she responded. She turned back to look at Wally. Kuki couldn't help but smile at him. Then she sighed. Climbing into her bed, and snuggling Bradley in her arms, Kuki realized that the inevitable happened; she had fallen for Wallabee Beetles.

Then she closed her eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

* * *

"Aw, there she is Mr. Boss," Tolienator said. "Sound asleep in her little bed."

"Yep, and pleasant dreams to you, Numbuh Three," Mr. Boss said. "I'll get inside your mind, where you can't escape me."

* * *

Kuki was lying in a meadow, relaxing, when a dark-skinned, little girl in a red cap came up. She waved at Kuki, who waved back. Then she motioned for Kuki to follow her.

* * *

Bradley woke up in time to see Kuki walk out the door, and out into the pouring rain. Nervous, he ran over to where Wally was lying and jumped on him, squealing, to wake him up. He did wake up, eventually.

"What, what. Bradley? Bradley, what is it?" he asked. He looked up, and gasped. Her bead was empty. She wasn't there. "Kuki? Kuki!" he cried.

He got up immediately, bolted out the door and ran onto the deck. What was she doing out here? There was a really bad thunderstorm out, it was practically a typhoon. "KUKI!"

* * *

Kuki followed the girl down a trail until they reached a cliffside. There, a chubby boy had just pushed a short blonde boy into the water below. The blonde kid was obviously terrified. "Ah, don't worry, he can swim. He's just a big baby about it," the chubby kid said before jumping in after him.

Kuki looked over the edge. Besides the two boys she saw, there was another boy, a bald kid wearing sunglasses, in the water as well. "Hey guys," he called out in a British accent. "Jump in, come on."

The dark-skinned girl jumped in with them. Kuki laughed. She didn't know these kids, but they seemed like fun. (A/N she's still seventeen)

* * *

Wally ran across the deck frantically. _What if she's hurt? What if she fell into the water? What if- _

A giant wave cut him off, sending him up to the crow's nest. He gripped the edges, terrified. If there was one thing Wally was terrified of, it was swimming. But he shook it off. No time to worry about himself. He had to find Kuki!

"KUKI, WHERE ARE YOU?"

Then he saw her. She was standing the edge of the railing with one foot up, like she was getting ready to jump. Her eyes were closed and she had a huge grin on her face. Either she had gone mad, Wally thought, or she was sleepwalking. Either way, he had to stop her. He grabbed a rope dangling behind him, and swung toward her.

"KUKI, DON'T!"

* * *

"Yes, JUMP!" the bald kid cried, turning into a dark silhouette, as well as the other kids. Everything around her turned dark. The water turned into fire. "The Kids Next Door curse!"

He and the other girl, now giants, grabbed Kuki's arms and tried to pull her in. kuki screamed, and begged them to let her go.

* * *

"Kuki, wake up! Wake up!" Wally cried. He lifted her in his arms and got her off the railing before she could jump.

"No, no," she mumbled in her sleep. Kuki was struggling in his arms. She must be having one bad nightmare.

Wally shook her. "WAKE UP!" he yelled.

Kuki's eyes shot open. She looked around, gasping, trying to take in what had happened. She looked at Wally.

"A curse, Kids Next Door curse," she screamed.

"A what? What the crud are you talking about?" he asked her.

Kuki buried her face in his chest. "I keep seeing faces, so many faces," she sobbed.

Wally awkwardly placed his arms over her shoulders. "It.. it was a nightmare," he reassured her. "Its okay, you're safe now."

Kuki continued to sob. Wally wrapped her in a tighter embrace and rubbed her back to calm her.

Great. Even the way cried was exactly like Numbuh Three. Wally wasn't sure how much more of that he could take.

* * *

**Correction, this is my longest chapter yet. But I'm not sure how long the rest will be, so we'll see. I would guesstimate maybe six more chapters to go but I'm not entirely sure. Well I should be in bed. Wow there's no way I can wake up for school tomorrow.**


	7. Chapter 7

"NOOO!"

Mr. Boss had lost it. He strangled his own neck until it stretched all the way to the ceiling. His head kept banging the walls as he yanked on his hair, and pulled on his skin in fury.

"Whoa, sir, calm down, relax. This is no time to lose your head Mr. Boss, sir," The Tolienator said.

Mr. Boss released his own neck, and allowed it to shrink back to normal. He took deep breaths.

"You're right, you're right. Yes, I am calm, completely calm," he said. He leaned against the wall and slid to the ground. "I am..heartless. I have no feelings whatsoever."

"Sir?" Tolienator asked.

"I feel a sudden onset of clarity, Tolienator. I'll have to kill her myself." Mr. Boss said.

"What," Tolienator asked, puzzled. "you, you mean _physically?_"

"Well, you know what they say. If you want something done right.." he said.

"But that means you'd have go…up there."

"That's right. I have so many fond memories of Paris. And killing that Numbuh Three brat with my own two hands would be totally satisfying!" Mr. Boss said. He stood up and put his jacket on. "Well, time to go."

"But you're dead! You're falling apart, sir," the Tolienator said in a panic. "How are you supposed to get to Paris in one piece?"

"I thought we'd take the train."

And once again, the cigar came alive as it shot Mr. Boss up toward the surface, with the Tolienator hanging on to his leg and crying out for dear life.

* * *

"Yes, I remember it all so well," a girl said in a little house in Paris. Numbuh Five stood behind her, nodding, though doubtful. Numbuh One was completely unconvinced by the girls performance. "Numbuh 142 was from Texas, Numbuh 78 was from Louisiana. And every spring-"

"We filled the Grand Canyon with Rainbow Munchies to celebrate another year of battling adult tyranny," Numbuh One interrupted. "Don't you have something better to do."

"Uh, yeah, uh, you gotta go now. Uh, see ya," Numbuh Five said, shooing the imposter away. "I'm sorry Nigel, that one did seem kind of convincing. But I guess I should've known better. She didn't have the same spark in her eyes that..she did."

She sat down on the couch beside him and handed him a can of soda. "But don't worry," she said. "Numbuh Five won't be fooled next time. I've got some harder questions in mind that only she would know. So hard, that not even-"

"No," Numbuh One said, staring down at his drink.

"What?" Numbuh Five asked.

He turned to look at her. "I can't take it anymore, Abby. I don't want to see anymore girls claiming to be Numbuh Three." With that, he stood up.

"Well, if that's what you want. Where are you going?" she asked.

Nigel shrugged. "Out. Go for a drive, I guess ," he said.

"Oh, okay. Don't use up all the gas," she said.

"I'll try."

Abby sighed when he walked out the door. In the past year, they had probably seen over a hundred different Numbuh Three's, all turning out to be imposters. As if that wasn't hard enough, Numbuh One still blamed himself for the incident, no matter what Abby said to convince him otherwise. Now he had given up all hope that she was out there somewhere…

* * *

"Where was Numbuh 78 from?" Wally asked. The group had finally landed in Paris. They were on a bus, heading to Numbuh One and Five's address. Wally stated quizzing Kuki. But Kuki didn't answer. Wally could see how nervous she was by the way she rung her hands.

"Oh, what if Numbuh Five doesn't recognize me?" she asked.

"Of course she will. You're Numbuh Three," Wally assured her.

"Well its just that a week ago, I didn't have any past at all, and now I'm trying to remember an entire lifetime," Kuki said.

"That's why you got me," he said. "Now, where was Numbuh 78 from?"

"Um, Texas?"

After a half an hour, the four of them arrived at Numbuh Five's house. It wasn't a really big house, though it wasn't small either. It was just big enough for the two of them. It used to be a summer home until she and Nigel decided to move in their when Abby received a scholarship for the University of Paris.

They walked up to the front door. Wally pulled his orange hood up over his eyes. He didn't want Numbuh Five to recognize him. The last thing he needed was for her to say something like 'Oh, how are you doing? Are you okay? Do you want to talk about it? Blah, blah, blah.'

Hoagie straightened up, smiled, and knocked on the door. The door opened a few seconds later and Abigail Lincoln stood in the doorway. She felt her cheeks warm and a huge smile spread across her face.

"Abby!" Hoagie cried happily. "Hey baby, somebody better call heaven. Because it looks like they're missing an angel."

Abby leaned against the door frame, folded her arms and smirked at him. "Well, well, well Hoagie P. Gilligan. You arrive at my house, for once, and that's the first thing you say? Seriously, boy, you are hopeless."

"Aw come on, that's the 'hello' I get after all these years?" Hoagie asked, pouting.

Abby laughed and threw her arms around his neck. "Don't beg. Its very unbecoming of you," she joked. Then she leaned in and kissed him. They kissed for almost a minute until Wally cleared his throat. "Right, so um, hehe, uh come on in everyone," Abby said, slightly embarrassed. There's plenty of sodas in the kitchen. Ya'll can make yourselves at home."

To Wally's relief, she didn't spare a second glance at him.

Poor Bradley didn't make it inside, though. The door was slammed in his face before he had a chance to enter.

Hoagie gestured for Kuki to come forward. "May I present The Grand Operative Numbuh Three," he said.

Abby took a good long look at Kuki. She had to admit that out of all the Numbuh Three's she's seen, Kuki was the most resembling. But when Abby look at her eyes, her heart skipped a beat. There was a certain spark in Kuki's eyes, a very familiar spark. But for some reason, the girl looked doubtful herself.

"Wow, she really does look like Numbuh Three. But then, so did many of the others," she said.

Abby and Hoagie sat down on the couch and Kuki took a seat in the chair across from them. Wally stood by the mantle behind the couch, trying to remain unnoticed.

Abby began to interview Kuki. "Where were you born?" she asked.

"At the Nakamura Hospital in Tokyo," Kuki answered.

"Right. And how does Numbuh Three take her coffee?"

"Ew, I don't like coffee. I prefer tea, but not yucky green tea.

"Very good."

Bradley sat in a flower bed right outside the window watching the interview. It went on for about two and a half hours. Kuki answered each question flawlessly.

"And finally," Abby said. The final question! Bradley climbed up to the window.

"You'll probably find this a…bold question, but indulge me. How did you and Numbuh One get out of the treehouse before the explosion?" she asked.

_Ah crud, crud, crud. _Wally never thought to tell her that. He never told anyone about that, not even Hoagie. The smoke was so thick, that night, that Numbuh One and Three probably didn't even know it was him that got them out. Why would Numbuh Five ask this question. There was no way Kuki would answer it correctly. All that hard work for nothing…

"There was a voice. A voice coming from the smoke. It was a boy, a boy we couldn't see. He opened the floor." Kuki said, holding her necklace. She was staring at the wall, remembering hard.

Wally looked up at her slowly. He stared right at her. That was impossible. There was no possible way she could have possibly known that. Unless she really was..

Then it hit him. Hit him like a blow to the gut. Kuki. She really was Numbuh Three. Wally realized that his subconscious mind had been trying to tell him that all along. Of course she was. It should have been plainly obvious from the beginning. Wally truly felt like an idiot. He had blocked his inner emotions so well, that he didn't see that the one person he truly loved was with him all this time. Suddenly, for the first time in seven years, Wally felt joy. Numbuh Three was alive! Numbuh Three was right here. With him. All along. This was all too overwhelming for him. He needed to step outside to think.

"So? Is she Numbuh Three?" Hoagie asked Abby.

"Well, she did answer every question," she said.

Hoagie cried out happily. "Ya hear that, Kuki? You did it!" He spun her around in a big hug. Kuki laughed. "So when do we see Numbuh One?" he asked.

"Sorry, but you don't," Abby answered, sadly.

"What? What do you mean, babe?" Hoagie asked.

"Well, Nigel just won't allow it," she said.

"Come on Abby. Surely you can figure out some way for us to see him." Hoagie put his arm around her. "Please?"

Abby smirked at him. "What did I say about begging?" she asked.

Hoagie pouted. She rolled her eyes, and thought for a moment.

"Well, uh, do you like Green Day?" she asked Kuki. Hoagie stared at her confused.

"Well, I never really listened to them before," Kuki said.

"Oh, well I just remembered that they're playing in Paris, tonight. Numbuh One and I are huge fans of Green Day. (A/N As am I. They're my favorite band.) We were not planning on _missing the concert,"_ she said, winking at Hoagie, who understood and grinned.

Hoagie went outside to were Wally was. "WE DID IT! Were going to see Numbuh one tonight!" He spun Wally around. "We're going to get the eleventy thousand dollars!"

Wally sighed. "Hoagie, she really is Numbuh Three," he said quietly.

Hoagie didn't hear him. "Kuki was amazing! I almost believed her. And Abby.. Ha, ha"

Kuki came running out excitedly with Abby right behind her. "Numbuh Five wants to take us shopping for the concert!" she said. "Shopping in Paris, can you believe it?"

"That's right," Abby said. "So lets move it."

* * *

Kuki came out of a super expensive store she never thought she'd shop in. Abby had picked out a cute, purple dress for her to wear rat the moment. But they were still looking for a perfect dress for the concert.

When they walked out, Kuki ran to Wally's side, showing off her dress. Abby went up to a lady selling roses. She bought one for Kuki, and handed another to Hoagie. Wally was thankful that she still didn't notice him. She was probably too caught up in Hoagie.

Abby took Hoagie's arm and smiled at him, then at Kuki.

_Welcome, my friend, to Paris._

_Here, have a flower on me._

_Forget where you're from._

_You're in France, children come._

_I'll show you that French joie de vivre._

_Paris holds the key to your heart._

_And all of Paris plays a part._

_You stroll to Vadu_

_Down what we call la rue._

_And soon all Paris will be singing to you._

_Oh la la, oh la la, oh la la._

Abby led the group down a busy street filled with so many lively people. Kuki saw dancers, painters, and even acrobats, all greeting her with a bonjour.

_Paris holds the key to l'amour._

_When not even Freud knows the cure._

_There's love in the air_

_At the Folies Bergère._

_The French have it down to an art._

_Paris holds the key to your heart._

Abby took them to a little restaurant. A few dancers were preparing for their performance.

_When you're feeling blue come to Les Moulins._

_When you're heart says don't_

_The French say do._

_If you think you can't, you'll find you can-can._

_Everyone can can-can._

_You can can-can, too._

The group sat down at their table to watch the dancers. Abby tossed her hat out toward the dancers. Hoagie immediately got up to get it for her. When he got it, however, he found himself trapped with the girls can-canning. Kuki giggled at poor Hoagie.

Wally smiled when he heard her laugh. Of course he was ecstatic that she was alive. But after he thought it through, he realized that she was now way out of his league. Since he ran away, avoided decommissioning, and everything, that made him a low-ranking _loser_. And Numbuh Three was still a high-ranking Grand Operative. Why would she ever go for him now?

_Paris holds the key to her past._

_Yes Numbuh Three I found you at last._

_No more pretend_

_You'll be gone, that's the end._

Finally, Abby found Kuki the perfect dress to wear for the concert. After buying it, she took them to one last stop before they went to get ready, The Eiffel Tower.

_Paris holds the key to you heart._

_You'll be très joli_ _and so smart._

_Come dance through the night._

_And forget all your woes._

_A City of Lights_

_Where a rose is a rose._

_And one never knows where to starts._

_Paris holds the key_

_To her_

_Heart._

_Oh la la, oh la la!_

_

* * *

_

Wally and Hoagie were waiting outside the concert hall for the girls to arrive. Hoagie kept pacing around nervously.

"We don't have anything to be nervous about. She's Numbuh Three," Wally said.

"I know, I know," Hoagie said.

"No, no you don't know," Wally looked around him before turning back to Hoagie. "It was me. I was the voice she heard in the treehouse. The one who opened the trapdoor and got them out. She really is Numbuh Three."

Hoagie stopped pacing. He looked at Wally, who nodded. Hoagie sat down on the steps and placed his head in his hands, trying to take it all in. He looked up at Wally once more.

"Its her, Hoagie."

If what Wally said was true then that meant, he was right. "We had her with us all this time," Hoagie said. "We, we found her. Numbuh Three's alive. She really did find her family. Us. And you…"

"Will walk out of her life forever," Wally finished.

"What? But you.."

"Hoagie, I ran away. I turned my back on the Kids Next Door. I don't even deserve to be an operative, let alone a high-ranking operative. You still are because you were sent to follow me. But lets face it. She's way out of my league now."

"But you can't just walk out of her life. After all these years, you, you have to-"

Wally cut him off. "We are going through with this as if nothing has changed," he said.

Hoagie couldn't believe him. "You can't keep avoid your feelings, like you've been doing for seven years. Wally, you love her."

Wally was staring at the ground. He knew Hoagie was right, but he just couldn't do it.

"You have to tell her," Hoagie said.

"Tell me what?" Kuki arrived just then, wearing a jacket over her dress. She hadn't heard any of the conversation.

Wally stood up. "Uh, nothing, just that were, ah, late. And we have to get in there now."

Kuki wondered if there was something he wasn't telling her. But instead of pressing the matter, she just shrugged. "Oh. Okay then, lets go.


	8. Chapter 8

Wally followed Kuki inside the concert hall. He could feel Hoagie nudging him in a nagging way. He turned around. Hoagie was glaring at him and mouthing _'tell her'_.

"Cut it out, will ya," Wally growled. Hoagie shook his head. Sighing in frustration, Wally rolled his eyes and turned back around.

Then his jaw dropped.

Kuki, who had walked up ahead, had just taken her jacket off. And she looked absolutely stunning. Drop dead gorgeous. She was wearing a long, dark green, strapless dress. It was made of silk and shimmered with glitter. Her hair was down, and it flowed out behind her like a cascading, black waterfall, with a butterfly clip on one side. She wore black strappy heels, and bracelets on both her wrists. Her skin was shinning and her eyes were sparkling. Wally didn't think it was possible, but right now she looked even more beautiful then she already was when they were kids.

Kuki raised an eyebrow and looked at him as if saying, '_what are you waiting for?_'' Wally snapped out of his trance and ran up to join her.

They took their seats. Hoagie sat behind them. Abby was sitting with Numbuh One, but she was going to meet up with Hoagie later. Wally scanned the place until he saw Abby sitting in a balcony seat. And right next to her was Numbuh One himself. Wally felt a little nervous, seeing Numbuh One again after all these years, after the way he left him. He turned to Kuki and pointed to where they were.

"Look there he is," he said. Kuki looked up toward them and started to feel queasy. "Please let him remember me," she said. Then the concert started. People started to cheer. But Kuki sat staring straight ahead. She rung her hands and fidgeted in her seat. Wally noticed her tension, and patted her knee. "Would you relax? Its gonna be okay," he assured her.

Finally the concert ended and it was time. Wally stood up. "Well it's time, lets go."

They walked through the crowd toward Nigel and Abby's balcony seats. Kuki was all but hyperventilating. "Hey, hey, hey calm down. Deep breaths, come on," Wally said.

Abby met up with Hoagie. "Well, I hope Numbuh One ain't in a stubborn mood," she said.

Hoagie smiled but didn't say anything. "She sure is a lot like _her _, I guess," Abby continued.

"Hehe, yeah, you have no idea," he said.

---

Wally and Kuki were standing outside Numbuh One's door.

"Well this is it," Wally said. "Wait here while I talk to him. I'll give you the signal to come in."

He turned around to go in, but Kuki grabbed his arm. "Wally," she said. Wally turned to face her. "Y-yeah?" he asked.

Kuki stared down at the ground, fiddling with her hair. Her cheeks were bright red. "Um, well, we-we've been through a lot together, you know, and uh.." she stuttered.

"Yeah," Wally asked again, anxiously.

"W-well, I…I uh, wh-what I wanna say…um….th-thank you, I guess. Yeah, thank you for everything."

"Oh," Wally said, almost disappointed. "You're, ah, welcome."

He turned around to go inside, but stopped and faced her again. "Kuki, I…"

"Yes?" Kuki asked, hopefully.

"Ah, well um, I.."

"Yes?"

Wally sighed. _What a cruddy coward,_ he thought. "I want to wish ya good luck, I guess."

Before she could answer, Wally went inside the room, unaware that the door was still open a crack. He pulled his hood up over his eyes again, not ready to reveal himself just yet. Then he saw Numbuh One. He was in his seat, his back facing Wally, reading some book. Wally took a deep breath.

"Numbuh One, sir?"

Nigel turned his head slightly before returning to his book. "Can I help you?" he asked.

"Well no, but uh," Wally wasn't quite sure what to say. "I, uh found your teammate. The Grand Operative Numbuh Three. She's waiting outside to talk to you."

"Ugh," Numbuh One groaned. "Thanks but no thanks. I've seen enough Grand Operative Numbuh Threes to last a lifetime." he said.

"B-but it really is her. And we came all the way from The United States just to see you," Wally said.

"Yeah well others have come from Timbuktu, all frauds," Numbuh One said.

Wally bit his lip. This wasn't going well. "But this is different. You see, I was actually in the Kids Next Door. In fact-"

"Well its not like I haven't heard that before," Nigel said.

"Oh, well, uh, you're not going to believe this, you might even think it's funny, maybe, hehe," Wally said, chuckling nervously. "But actually it's me, Numbuh F-"

"Would you just give it a rest!" Nigel yelled. "I don't care how much you trained this girl to look like her, sound like her or act like her. It's never her."

Kuki had started listening through the door. _Train me? _What was he talking about? Wally and Hoagie weren't training her. They were just jogging her memory…weren't they?

"But this time it is her," Wally said. "For real."

"Please, I've seen your kind before," Numbuh One said. He still hadn't even turn around to look at him. "Con men who hold auditions to find a Numbuh Three look-a-like."

Kuki gasped. Con man? Wally was a con man? He had been holding auditions to find a girl to be Numbuh Three?

Wally pulled his hood off, ready to show himself. "But Numbuh One, it's not that. It's not what you think."

"How much more pain do you plan on inflicting me with for money?" Numbuh One demanded. He still didn't turn around.

Kuki's felt tears forming. Money. Of course, it all made sense now. When Wally saw how much she looked like Numbuh Three, he told her all those lies to get her to unknowingly go along with his scam. He was just using her this whole time. Just for money.

Wally saw Numbuh One pick up his cell phone. "Are you calling security on me?!" he asked.

"No. I already did," Nigel said.

At that moment, two huge, buff guys came in and seized Wally's arms. They lifted him and carried him out. Wally was struggling with all his might against them.

"Hey, get your cruddy hands off of me! I'm telling you Numbuh One, she really is Numbuh Three. She's the Grand Operative and if you'd just turn around, you would know!"

The two men threw him out. He landed right at Kuki's feet. Wally looked up to find her staring down at him, furiously. Her eyes were filled with tears.

"It was all a lie wasn't it?" she asked.

"No, no," Wally said.

"You used me? I was just part of your con to get his money?" she asked in disbelief.

"No, er," Wally tried to say. Kuki had walked off.

Wally went after her. "Look, it might have started out that way But it's all different now, because you really are Numbuh Three. Really, you are."

"Oh, just stop it," Kuki yelled angrily. "From the very beginning you lied. And I not only believed you, I actually...ugh!" _To think I actually fell for you._

She walked faster. Wally had to run to keep up with her.

"Kuki, look, remember when you were talking about the treehouse, and the trapdoor, and the voice in the smoke," he said. "Listen to me, that was-"

"NO!" Kuki interrupted. "I don't want to hear about anything I said or remembered. Just leave me alone!"

Wally took her hand. "Kuki," but that was all he managed to say before Kuki turned around and stomped on his foot with all her might. "OW!" he screamed. He fell to the floor, crippled in pain. Kuki disappeared in the crowd.

_Crud, this is just perfect,_ Wally thought. How was Kuki ever going to know who she was if she won't believe him, and Numbuh One won't listen. Wally was still on the ground rubbing his foot when he noticed some guy hang a cloak on a coat rack in front of him. It was long and black with a large hood. Suddenly, he came up with a crazy idea.

------

Hoagie and Abby were at the concession stands, talking and praying that the interview would go well.

"How do you think it's going?" Hoagie asked her.

"Not sure, but Numbuh Five's started to get a little nervous," she said.

Just then, Hoagie saw Kuki walking past the crowd. He looked closer. Were those tears in her eyes?

"Hey Kuki, how'd it go," he asked. But she stormed past him.

"Don't talk to me. You were in on it, too," she cried.

"Huh," Hoagie asked puzzled. He turned to Abby.

"I don't think it went too well," she said. "I think I better go check on Nigel."

Hoagie nodded. She went over to their balcony and opened the door. Numbuh One was putting his sweater on and grabbed the car keys.

"Hey, uh, were are you going?" Abby asked him.

"Home," he answered.

"Home? Why? Don't you want to hang out for a while or something," she asked.

"No, I've had enough of this," Nigel said furiously before walking out and slamming the door.

Abby slumped into the seat. "Aw man, just peachy," she said.

----------

Wally stood out in the parking lot, wearing the long, dark cloak. The hood was pulled over his head.

When he saw Numbuh One come out, he followed him to his car, hiding in the shadows.

Numbuh One reached his car and climbed into the driver's seat. Once his keys were in the ignition, Wally came out from nowhere and shoved Nigel into the back seat. Then he got in, stepped on the gas and sped forward.

Nigel was outraged and somewhat terrified. "What the…who the heck are you? What do you think you're doing?"

"I should think it's obvious, Numbuh One, sir," Wally said.

"You! What, are you kidnapping me?!" Nigel demanded.

"Ding, ding, ding we have a winner," Wally said, having a little fun.

"Have you lost your MIND!?!?," he asked. "Stopped this car, now! Stop this car!"

"No. I won't stop this car, not until you listen," Wally said.

He drove stupidly fast, nearly dodging other cars, pedestrians, and the occasional mailbox. Finally he stopped right outside a little hotel. Their hotel. Wally turned back to Numbuh One.

"Up there, you see that window?" Wally pointed. "That's room 206. Our hotel room. Numbuh Three is up there right now and you have to talk to her. I mean just look at her."

"You kidnapped me just so I could talk to your little actress?" Nigel asked. He took out his cell phone. "Oh, just wait 'til the cops come. I can't wait to see the look on your face when they drag away your sorry- hey!" Wally had snatched the phone out of his hand.

"Just go talk to her. Please. What more do I have to cruddy do to convince you?"

"Why do you keep doing this to me? Why can't you just leave me alone?" Nigel asked. "You're making this pain worse. Can't you see that I've given up hope? I have to accept the fact that she's gone. Just like I've accepted long ago that it was…" Nigel had to pause to take a deep breath. Wally didn't say anything. He couldn't. "That it was all my fault. I let her go and she fell to her death. I promised her I would protect her, and I didn't." Nigel reached up to wipe tears away before they fell past his sunglasses. "And a friend of mine's heart was torn to _pieces _because of me. Because I failed to safe her. I have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life. And if you don't mind, I'd like to live with it in peace."

"NO! IT WASN'T YOUR CRUDDY FAULT!" Wally cried. Nigel was startled.

"It wasn't your fault. Look, I'm sorry I said that to you, Numbuh One. I didn't really mean it. I was just…well, devastated, and yeah I was heartbroken. But it wasn't because of you. I know you tried to save her.

Nigel stiffened. He was bewildered. What was this guy talking about? How could he have known…unless…

Realization dawned on Nigel, then. He heard the voice and wondered how he couldn't tell before.

His vocabulary. That accent…

Nigel reached out and pulled the black hood off his head, only to find an orange hood underneath it. But that was enough for Nigel. He recognized that orange hood anywhere.

"Numbuh Four?"

Wally sighed. He pulled his orange hood off and lifted his head to reveal his green eyes hidden under his bangs

Nigel gasped in disbelief. "What are you…you're here. You, you came all the way to Paris? Why are you…" he was at loss for words.

"You don't have to live with that guilt, Numbuh One. And it doesn't even matter because she's alive."

Nigel couldn't speak. He was in shock from seeing Numbuh Four after all these years.

Wally pulled out a rainbow monkey from his pocket.

"Numbuh One, you recognize this don't you?" he asked.

"Best-Friends-Forever-and-Always Rainbow Monkey," Nigel said. "Wh-where did you get this?"

Wally avoided that question. "Look, I know it hurts, _believe me._ But it's just possible that she's been as lost and alone as us."

Nigel stared at the Rainbow Monkey, then looked up at Wally.

"You're not going to give up, are you Numbuh Four?" he asked.

Wally smiled. "Come on Numbuh One, you know me better than that."

Nigel took a deep breath, and turned to look up at the window of the hotel room.

* * *

**Well that's chapter eight out of the way yay! But there were no songs in this one. Aw well too bad. this one was fun to write.**

**Please review, your reviews are really motivating! :D**


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh my God, I am so sorry it took _forever_ to upload. This has just been a real hectic week! I had to take my driver's test (I got my license!), took the ACT on wednesday, my AP history exam on friday, had to write my marching band leadership audition essay (I'm going out for drum major. Wish me luck!) and took the SAT on saturday. I've been studying like crazy all week! I feel even more bad that its a short chapter. I'm not sure it came out so good. But, well just let me know what you think. Good, or bad, I want to know!**

* * *

Kuki sat up on her hotel bed and wiped her eyes. She had been crying her eyes out for quite a while. _I hate him, I hate him, I hate that lying jerk face,_ she thought repeatedly.

Kuki looked up, and her eyes fell on a rose on the nightstand. She picked it up and glared at it. It was one of two the roses Abby had given her. Kuki had tucked the second one into Wally's pocket. She wondered if he even noticed. He did seem a bit distracted while Abby showed them around Paris, now that she thought about it. Probably thinking about what he was going to do first when he got his reward money or something. More tears trickled down Kuki's cheeks as she tossed the rose into the trash bin.

Kuki jumped when she heard a knock at the door. She rolled her eyes, assuming it was the selfish Aussie trying to convince her to go back to give the interview another shot.

"Go away, Wally," she growled.

The door opened and she heard footsteps entering the room. "I said go away you jer-" Then she gasped. Because standing right in front of her wasn't Wally, but Numbuh One himself.

"Jerk? Have I offended you in anyway, Miss?" he asked, smirking.

Realizing how she looked, Kuki wiped the make-up running down her eyes from her tear streaked face. "Nu-Numbuh One? I-I'm so sorry. I thought you were…"

"Yes, I know exactly who you thought I was. But the question is, who exactly are you?" Nigel asked.

"Um…well…" Kuki knew that this would only get Wally his reward, but she did come all this way and Numbuh One was standing right in front of her. This was her one chance to find out the truth. "I was kind of hoping you could tell _me._"

* * *

Abby ran down the street, following the tracker in Numbuh One's car. Someone back at the concert hall informed her that Nigel's car had been hijacked by some shady looking guy. She nearly had a heart attack when she learned that Nigel was still in it. _A heart attack at eighteen, that's just what I need with this stress, _Abby thought.

Wally was leaning on the car, looking up at the window. He couldn't hear what they were saying so all he could do was hope Numbuh One would see it was her. When he heard Numbuh Five running toward him, he quickly pulled his hood back over his head, knowing that Abby would kill him if she knew what he did.

"NUMBUH ONE, WHERE ARE YOU!?" she cried frantically. "NIGEL?! Aw man, Numbuh Four what did you do?!"

Wally took the hood off and turned around, bewildered. "How did you know…"

"Oh please, you didn't think you could fool Numbuh Five for a second, didja? I know that orange hoodie anywhere," she said.

Wally rubbed the back of his head, sheepishly. "Ehehe, uh…note to self: stop using orange hood as a disguise," he muttered under his breath.

Abby rolled her eyes. "Now if you don't mind my asking, WHAT IS WRONG WITH YA, BOY?!" she screamed. Wally yelped and hid behind the car before she could smack him with her hat. "You hijacked his car? You kidnapped Numbuh One? Do you know how much trouble you could get in? _I_ almost had a heart attack. Have you lost your head? Ya know what, I don't think you ever had one to begin with. You really haven't changed. You're just as stupid as ever."

"A-are you done, Numbuh F-Five?" Wally stuttered from his hiding place.

Abby sighed, frustrated. "Where's Numbuh One?" she asked.

"He's upstairs…talking to Numbuh Three," he answered.

Abby slapped her forehead and ran into the building. "Moron," she called over her shoulder.

* * *

Kuki fidgeted, nervously. Numbuh One didn't look convinced at all.

"Poppet," he said, "I've gone through this enough times, and I'm sick and tired of being conned and tricked.

"Oh no, I don't want to trick you at all, no," Kuki said. "I, I just…"

"And what, the money doesn't interest you, either?" he interrupted.

Kuki composed herself and took a deep breath. "I just want to know who I am. Whether or not I might belong to a team. Your team," she said.

Nigel turned away and sighed. He had to admit, that was convincing. And she looked more like Numbuh Three than all of the actresses he's seen combined. But, like Wally, he came to believe that if he got his hopes up, something will end up crushing back down.

"Well, your really a good actress. Best one I've seen yet, but…I've had enough. I'm sorry." He turned to leave.

Kuki felt more tears well up. That was it. That was her one chance she had to find out who she was, and now she would never know. There was nothing left for her to do now. _Might as well go back to Cleveland and take that job at the fish market,_ she thought, sadly.

As Numbuh One reached the door, Kuki noticed something fall out of his pocket. It looked like a piece of green cloth. She went over to pick it up. "Um, Numbuh One sir, you dropped……th-this." Kuki realized that it was the end of a sleeve that looked like it had been torn off.

_Hold on, Numbuh Three, hold on._

Kuki flinched when she heard a voice cry in her head. She brought the sleeve up to her nose and inhaled. "Peppermint," she whispered.

Nigel was shocked by the look of recognition in her eyes. "Th-that's just..uh…"

"My sleeve," Kuki said. "that tore when you tried to catch me. Wow, I can't believe it. It still smells like peppermint."

" Um…I'm not sure if…uh," Nigel murmured.

"Don't you remember," she asked. "We were all at the mall, and we cut through a department store. I kept trying all the perfumes. And then, when I tried the peppermint one, I ended up spilling it all over my sleeves and the bottle shattered." Kuki laughed at the sudden memory. "The sales lady was so mad, she practically shoved us out of the store. And my sleeves have forever since smelled like peppermint."

Nigel was speechless. Kuki went on. "I was kind of glad it couldn't wash out. I've always liked the smell of peppermint. I'd bring my hands up to my face just so I could get a whiff. I…just kinda…" Now Kuki was speechless. Why were all these memories flooding back into her mind?

Nigel couldn't believe his ears. How could she know all that? Those were personal memories. The only way she could know all that was if she really was Numbuh Three.

He sat down on the bench by the dresser, and patted the seat next to him. Kuki hesitated for a moment, then joined him. The torn sleeve was in one hand, and the other was fiddling with her necklace. Nigel's heart skipped when he saw it. "What is that?'" he asked.

"Oh, this? I've had it since before I can even remember." Kuki said.

"Do you mind if I see it?" he asked. Kuki nodded and handed it to him.

His heart was racing now. It was the very same necklace.

"It was our gift to her. To Numbuh Three," Nigel said. He reached into his pocket and took out the rainbow monkey.

Kuki gasped. "Best-Friends-Forever-And-Always Rainbow Monkey. To…to remind me that you guys would always be there for me." She took the necklace back and turned it in the lock in its bellybutton. The music started and she hummed along with it before singing.

_When your scared, I will stay with you._

_When you feel you're falling,_

_I'll lift you._

_When your heart breaks_

_I'll ease your aches._

_Whatever it takes,_

"I'm in," Nigel said with her.

_Anytime you need a friend._

Numbuh One looked up at Kuki. Tears were running down her cheeks, but this time they were happy. He grinned. "Numbuh Three. I've missed you a lot."

Numbuh Three wrapped her arms around her leader's neck in a friendly embrace. "Oh, I'm so glad to see you, Numbuh One!"

Abby burst through the door at that moment. "Numbuh One! Where are you? Are you okay?"

Nigel turned to her and beamed. She hadn't seen him smiling like that in a long time. "Numbuh Five!" he exclaimed. "She's alive! Look, Numbuh Three, right here, alive!"

Abby looked Numbuh Three in the eye. The spark in her eyes was unmistakable now.

"I knew it. The minute you walked into my house, I saw it in your eyes and I just knew it. But you didn't look so sure yourself, so I don't know, I guess I was confused."

Numbuh Five nearly tackled her in a bone-crushing hug. "But I knew all along it was you, Numbuh Three," she said, almost sobbing with joy. Numbuh Three giggled and hugged her back fiercely.

"It's so good to see you, Numbuh Five," she said. "Wow, it's been so long. There's so much i want to ask you guys," she said.

"Then what are we standing around here for?" Abby asked. "Lets go back to our place. We can discuss everything, girl. Like one of our old pajama parties!"

"Okay lets go! I just got to get my jammies." Kuki went to the suitcase on her bed and started to rummage through it.

"Ya know he's still in huge trouble, right Numbuh One?" Abby reminded him. Kuki wasn't listening.

Numbuh One rolled his eyes and smiled. "Oh come on, we wouldn't be here now if he hadn't kidnapped me," he said chuckling. "Why is he still out there? Go get him. He was right all along, after all."

"Yeah, you're right. I'll go get him," Numbuh Five said. She ran out the room and skipped down the stairs, too excited to take the elevator. She hadn't felt so happy in a long time. One of her best friends was alive after seven years of believing she was dead. How could she not be happy?

She exited the lobby and walked over to the stolen car. "Hey Numbuh Four! Man, you were right. It is her. I haven't seen Numbuh One so happy since…"

But Wally wasn't there. Abby looked around, but she couldn't find him. "Numbuh Four?"

* * *

"Well, well, well. So they've found her at long last. Isn't that just heartwarming, Tolienator?"

"Ehehe, y-yeah, very heartwarming, sir."

Mr. Boss and The Tolienator, upon arriving to France, have been hiding out in an abandoned clock tower. (A/N I don't know where it was they were hiding in the movie so I dunno.) Numbuh One had sent a message to the Moonbase that he found Numbuh Three. They immediately responded, saying that they would throw a party to celebrate the next day. Unfortunately, news travels fast. When Mr. Boss heard this, he knew that would be the perfect time to finally finish off Numbuh Three, once and for all.

"Isn't it perfect? That's when we'll kill her. Crush her at the height of her glory!"

The Tolienator was replaying there previous attempts to kill her through the cigars smoky crystal ball.(A/N ? do I have a way with words or what? :P)

Suddenly, he gasped when he saw the blonde guy wake her up from the sleepwalking nightmare. He paused it to get a better view.

"No way," he said. "Mr. Boss, Mr. Boss hurry. Look, you see that blonde guy who keeps saving her from our evil plots? It's Numbuh Four!"

Mr. Boss's eyes widened when he saw this. "Say, you're right, Tolienator," he said. "It is Numbuh Four."

"My arch-nemesis," Tolienator growled.

"Yeah. Wait, why?" Mr. Boss asked.

"Well 'cause when I came up with the perfect plan at the movie theater, and he came along and ruined it, and….oh of course you don't remember."

Rolling his eyes, Mr. Boss returned his attention to the matter at hand. "Uh-huh. Anyway, so that's why she keeps evading us. Numbuh Four saved her each time. Which means, if we try to kill her at the party, he'll only end up saving her again."

"Oh, oh, oh, Mr. Boss," Tolienator cried, raising his hand.

"Geeze, what?"

"Well what if someone," he pointed to himself, "were to take out Numbuh Four?"

Mr. Boss raised an eyebrow. "Who can I trust with a task like that?"

"Me, me, me! Oh, please Mr. Boss? Let me take out Numbuh Four. That way no one will be able to foil our plan to kill Numbuh Three. And, I'll finally get my revenge on that glorious-moment-crushing little brat!"

"Gee, I don't know Tolienator. Are you sure you can handle a task like that? It would require a lot of responsibility."

"You know it, Boss!"

Mr. Boss sighed. What other choice did he have? "Okay fine. You can get your revenge, or whatever, on Numbuh Four. Just make sure you take care of him so he can't come back to save his precious, little crush."

The Tolienator laughed maniacally. "Vengeance is finally mine!"

* * *

**So yeah, there it is. Luckily, the next chapter is the final one! Yay! After ths story, well I've got a couple one-shots in mind. As for another story, I've been thinking: what if I did Hercules (the disney movie) for 1/362. I got the idea from my piano recital (I played won't say I'm in love.) I'm still trying to think of a good plot. I was thinking maybe Hoagie as Phil, Wally as Pegasus, Father as Hades, and I think you can guess Hercules and Meg lol. Okay I think I'm starting to ramble. But let me know what you think!**

**P.S. Happy Star Wars day! May the 4th be with you, get it!**


End file.
